BeastBoy's living past
by krostovikraven1
Summary: An unexpected visitor has Beastboy re-living his worst memories. The nightmares that hunt him will bring him closer to the love of his life and he may have the chance to redeem himself from a guilty past.
1. Chapter 1

So this is my first attempt at a Teen Titan Fanfic, I've been toying with the idea for some time and finally have the chance to post it. I've had great inspiration from fellow writers and hope to someday entertain everyone as good as they do.

Please review

**Chapter 1. Stranger**

The feed on the screen was fully loaded. The picture in front of them was a blurry image of what it could be discerned as an creature with large wings. The next image, the same creature but closer to the surface as if landing at great speed. The last picture however, is what had everyone's attention. The blurry image, although unfocused, could not be mistaken, as the entity portrayed clearly showed the creature halfway turned into a human being.

The Titans stared at it for countless moments in silence, as if trying to decipher the pixilated puzzle on the huge screen in the common room.

"this was taken by mere accident by a witness that happened to be nearby when the noise of flapping wings caught his attention."

Batman said over the speaker on the computer, showing his masked face in a small square on the left side of the huge screen. Guessing that had elapsed enough time for them to get the idea of what they were looking at. But being in the stupor they were in, the sudden comment brought them back to the startled reality. Robin cleared his throat before answering.

"how did this witness came to know where to be to take these pictures?".

"He was sight seeing, taking pictures of the scenery before sundown. What he thought to be an exotic bird of sorts, resulted on something beyond his expectations. So much so, that in the surprise he dropped the camera. that's why there are only three pictures. And the images are not clear because the creature was moving uncharacteristically fast. The witness claims that after the creature touched the surface, less than 2 seconds later, it morphed into a cheetah and disappeared in the jungle."

Robin looked at his team mates and settled on Beast Boy who when noticing his leader, and everyone else looking at him, held his hand in the air and said "Dudes, I swear it wasn't me!" he said as if he had been accused.

Robin said "we never said that Beast Boy"

"yeah man, chill" said Cyborg. Batman went back to the explanation "I know for a fact that it wasn't you Beast Boy. There has been several sightings over the last few years. Sporadic occurrences in at least 3 continents. But this particular sighting is one of 3 in the last six months in North America, close to the Grand Canyon."

Robin rubbed his chin as if in deep thought but Raven beat him to the question. "Who is it? why are you telling us about this now?." said in her monotone.

"Yeah, why is so different from before" said Cyborg.

"we don't know who it is or the purpose of its travels, but gained the name of "the phantom" no one has ever had a direct look on who or what it is. Even the satellites from the space command tower have not been able to get a lock on him.

"has the unknown changeling committed a crime?" asked Starfire who had been silent the entire time. Beast Boy suddenly turned to her the moment she mentioned the word "changeling" for that is what he is.

"None that we can trace back to him, but all I can gather is that if he continues with the direction he's taken, at the speed he's been sighted, that he'll be in Jump City soon. So keep alert Titans. We don't know if the changeling is on a friendly mission. Or if he's friendly at all. Batman out.

There was silence for a few more minutes while they gathered their thoughts, and suddenly, Beast Boy turned to face his friends, with a frown on his face and said "Dudes, you know what this mean?…" then his face contorted into a huge ear-to ear grin and jumping closer to them causing them to jump back at his exuberant reaction and said "I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE!"

"Calm down grass stain, we don't know that." said Cyborg looking stern at his friend.

"Are you kidding? That "… Beast Boy said pointing at the last picture… "is a bold eagle and then the other dude said that it morphed into a cheetah? What more proof do you want?". He said moving his arms in the air to make his point.

Robin came closer and put his hand on the changeling's shoulder and said "We know Beast Boy, but we need to gather more info before we fall into any conclusions."

Starfire walked closer too with a worried look "Yes friend Beast Boy, we do not know if is even human. We need to do the gathering of the info before we do the conclusion jumping. Not everyone is as friendly as you are"

As serious as she sounded, Cyborg could not contain the small smile that formed on his lips as soon as her words were heard, but stopped the moment he saw Robin glaring at him.

Starfire's way of speaking was still a wonder. She was supernaturally strong, one of Tamaran's fierce warriors, and impossibly intelligent, had learned who knows how many languages in an incredibly short time, but English, for some reason, wasn't her forte.

Raven rolled her eyes and walked to the main computer, pulling the map Batman had sent them with the locations on the sightings. Everyone else gathered around her to see what she was doing.

"These locations are near or in animal habitat…" she said before Beast Boy interrupted her. "we knooow that it morphed into animals, what's your point?" he said not containing his impatience. Not noticing the wincing expressions of the other male Titans next to him. Raven turned and glared at him, causing light bulb to explode in the distance.

"perhaps if you SHUT UP! And let me FINISH, I could get to the point"… she said in an exasperated tone, yelling every other word thru gritted teeth. He noticed to glowing of her eyes and step back a bit.

Raven continued " the wooded areas are wide, but so are the ciy areas in between, which means that is human enough to blend in."

"but friend Beast Boy can turn into a kind of bird that can travel great distances, I'm sure that this… stranger… knows them as well" Starfire said.

"Yes, but it would also risk to be seen. A flock of the same birds is not as prominent as a single one migrating well out of season on the wrong direction"

Beast boy said, having everyone to turn his way and stare at him as if he suddenly had grown two heads.

He looked at them sheepishly then shrugged and said "what? I like to learn about the animals I turn into."

His friends shrugged and looked back at the map on the screen.

"Can you determine at what speed The Phantom is traveling and in how long he would be arriving here?" Robin said crossing his arms and rubbing his chin at the same time.

Cyborg approached the super computer and began to type furiously on the keyboard. A line appeared on the screen, touching every point of coordinates and one last line going across the map to the Jump City destination.

"Each sighting has been between days apart, and those are pretty large wooded areas too. From the last one to here, I would say no more than two days. It looks like The Phantom travels faster as an animal than on human feet." he said, no trace of humor in his voice.

Robin walked to the other computer and sat down before he started typing away. "I'll let Titans East know to be on the look out. We need as many eyes as we can gather. For all we know The Phantom could be looking for trouble."

Cyborg and Raven turned back to the computers and regaled the same message to the honorary Titans, for they might need their help as well.

Starfire turned and went to assist Robin and Beast Boy gave a sigh and turned to the kitchen. With all the news of someone that might be just like him and perhaps not to friendly at that he retreated in silence.

After half an hour, the Titans gathered in the kitchen to prepare their dinner. Having come to the conclusion that nothing was to be found that day. Beast Boy had been quiet most of the time, but when either Robin or Cyborg addressed him a few times, he seemed to come out of his revere and fake a smile, answer whatever they had asked and went back to play with his food. This had not gone unnoticed. Raven had been observing him over the rim of her cup of tea, faking to blow the contents before drinking it.

Being an empath allowed her to sense other people's emotions, but had to concentrate harder when needed on a single target. And being as distracted as he was at the moment, she was doing just that. She sensed confusion, some excitement but most of all, guilt emanating from her green team mate. With the hood over her head, she could somewhat mask that she was staring at the changeling longer than she would on normal circumstances. But then, she not only noticed his emotions, but also his face. His expression somewhat solemn, his eyes focused on something far beyond his plate. As if lost in thought, or in memories. Her analyzing was cut short when Cyborg started to move a hand in front of her face to get her attention. All connection with the green boy's emotions were broken and she glared at the tin man.

"yo, Raven… you ok?" upon seeing her expression and seeing one of the plates covered and her dark magic, levitating over the table, he immediately removed his hand from in front of her and leaned back as if trying to get away from the stray plate in case it exploded.

That got everyone's attention for a moment. She closed her eyes, sighed deeply once and let the plate come down softly on the table before opening her eyes again.

When she did, her team mates were looking at her questioningly. Even Beast Boy turned her way but didn't comment on it. Then he got up , picked up his plate, took it to the sink, rinse it and placed it in the dishwasher.

Then he turned to his friends and said "night guys. I'm tired, I'm going to bed" without waiting for a response he walked out of the kitchen to the common room.

They heard the doors hissed to open and close. After a few seconds they stopped staring at the doors and looked at each other. Robin crossed his arms, deep in thought.

"is everything the ok Robin?" Starfire asked after seeing his expression.

"I don't know Star, he seems troubled?" answer the boy wonder.

"troubled? I think he's loosing it Rob, since when does he do his own dishes? Said Cyborg.

"not mentioning going to bed this early" said Raven in her monotone, everyone looked at the clock over the stove, it read 7:30pm.

Robin sighed deeply and said to his friends before he got up and repeat Beast Boys actions in the kitchen "Lets keep an eye on him just in case he needs to vent"

They all nodded once and finished their meal. Robin went to the computer to try to find any more clues about the so called Phantom. Starfire joined him shortly. Cyborg was in the kitchen with Raven cleaning up. While the tin man dried some of the dishes, he noticed Raven absent minded again. This time however, he asked her quietly what was going on.

"I'm not sure Cyborg. Before you interrupted me so rudely earlier, I was sensing a mix of emotions that I find no logic explanation to." the sarcasm didn't escape her comment but he ignored it.

"Maybe, that whole "I'm not the only one" comment has deeper meaning. Perhaps he is feeling lonely Raven. After Terra send him packing at the school, he hasn't been the same" said Cyborg, trying to think of a logical explanation as to their friend's mood. But upon hearing her name, a frown betrayed her for a slight second, which it didn't go unnoticed by the tin man but again, said nothing about it.

After she composed herself, Raven said "no Cyborg, this goes beyond loneliness. But I cannot be certain. I have to meditate on this." she said before phasing thru the floor, leaving the tin man standing alone in the kitchen. He turned with a smirk back to the dishes he had been working on and said to himself "if you only knew, sister".


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two. Memories of a dream**

Raven appeared from the dark hole in front of Beast Boys door. She could hear soft music coming from inside. Music she wasn't familiar with.

She got closer to the door, trying to discern the musical notes. At first they sounded urban, muffled. But a louder chorus told her it was a dialect. An African tune. Not modern but like the ones she had heard on the documental on animals he usually watched on tv.

She knocked on the door , but no one answer. She figured he probably didn't hear her over the music. So she tried again, this time a little louder. The volume on the music went down, almost off, and she heard him say "come in, is open".

She was hesitant for a moment. She pushed the door open. There had been only a couple of times that she had been in his room. There was always clutter, trash, old pizza boxes, piles of dirty clothes and his desk covered in piles of papers.

This time however, it looked like he had made an effort to clean it up, at least there was a path from the door to his bed clear of debris.

He sat up upon seeing his unexpected visitor and gave her an embarrassed smile. She walked in and closed the door softly behind her. Then gathering the lower part of her cape and holding it back, she walked towards him, still in silence, watching her step.

She still had her hood over her head. She saw how embarrassed he was about the condition of his room but before he said something, she lifted her left hand to stop him and said "we'll discuss this mess some other time" she stopped in front of him, he motion for her to sit next to him.

She hesitated for a minute but complied. He scoot over to giver space, he knew how adamant she was about her personal space. He looked down, while he moved, trying not to look her in the eye, those beautiful eyes that seemed to be able to see thru him, deep down his soul, and not because she was a demoness.

She never stopped looking at his face, he seemed uncomfortable, but most of all sad. Finally he had the courage to look her in the eye.

When she looked back in his, she realized just how sweet his face was, how she could stare into those green eyes for hours to no end, but shook the thought before it was finished. Instead, she asked in her monotone "I know something is bothering you… what to talk about it?"

He was surprised at this. Her tone, although a dead ring to her usual demeanor, felt somehow soothing and strange at the same time.

He lowered his head a bit, again, trying not to look at her. It was difficult to see her expression if there was any.

The hood of her cloak was still over her head.

She sensed his emotions in different waves. Curiosity, was among them. But before she could say something, he leaned forward, with almost a trembling hand, he pulled slowly the hood off her head.

Ever so slowly as if trying the fates and risk upsetting her for doing so bold a move. Slowly, her face appeared, she had no expression he could speak of and was staring at him all the while.

He let go of her hood and sat back, looking over her face. Her skin, although gray, was a flawless complexion. Her chakra stone was the only jewelry she ever wore and her scent, sometimes lilac, sometimes lavender. And today was the latter. So soothing, he gave her a small smile.

And although she was well-trained in no showing any expression, in her mind, her emotions where going bonkers of excitement.

Out of the blue a stray thought came to mind "oh, he's soo sweet. Do something Rae"

Raven frowned at the comment in her head. Happy no doubt was having a field trip and threaten to surface if she didn't get a grip on her emotions. So, she closed her eyes and moved her head sideways slightly.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Beast Boy's smile fade, look down and sulk even more in his corner. He was disappointed to say the least, he was hoping to get closer to Raven even with a small gesture, but as he had expected and even dreaded, she had been offended.

A pang of sadness hit her. "aww, look what you did Rae-Rae, now he thinks we don't approve.." Happy whined in her head.

Raven cleared her throat to hush her stray emotion and to get Beast Boy's attention.

"you still have not answered me" she said in a deadpan.

"I'm ok Rae, what makes you think something bothers me" he tried to be nonchalant about it but knew that failed miserably.

"I'm an empathy Beast Boy, and believe it or not…I … care about you" she said the last bit in almost a whisper. She almost didn't finish as she realized what was coming out of her mouth.

He had pulled his legs up to his chest and put his arms around them and held his chin on his knees.

When she said this however, he just closed his eyes and said "thanks Rae" in a really soft voice. She was glad he didn't misunderstand her meaning. Even if inside she felt a little disappointed.

He got up and started pacing in front of her, avoiding every piece of debris with agile moves as he was used to. His head low, his arms behind his back. As if considering her offer.

Wave after wave of guilt and regret hit the empathy, she was trying to get a grip on herself as all those emotions were so strong that was making her uncomfortable. But before she said something, he stopped in front of her, fell to his knees, hung his head and signed deeply.

She didn't know what to do or say so she waited patiently. She didn't have to wait long as he started to speak very softly before looking at her with tears in his eyes.

"have I ever told you how my parents died?"

She remember the time that he told Starfire about his parents death. Raven had sat at the other end of the sofa reading a book and had seemed to ignore their conversation.

Starfire had started to sob as he told her about the fatal accident at the waterfall. He had gone on and on how he blamed himself for their death.

Of course Raven remembered it as she had silently shed a tear while behind her book pretending not to hear his story.

"I heard about it once" she said quietly.

"it haunts me Rae, because not only my parents died that day. Someone else was there and I couldn't do anything to save either one of them, I swear I tried to come back but I wasn't strong enough."

Her mind came to an abrupt silence once he had said this, he was so vulnerable at the moment. Again, the waves of emotion she felt from him were overwhelming. and for a moment, she truly didn't know what to do.

With some surprise she realized another one of her emotions had taken control, compassion had a tight grip on her actions but she didn't mind one bit as she realized that love was also making her way too as she knelt in front of him and hugged him tightly. His face rested on her shoulder still shedding silent tears. Her own tears came threaten to her face without warning.

Slowly he let her go but rested his forehead on hers for a moment. He signed deeply then got up, offered her his hand and helped her up.

Then he walked past her towards his bed. Once again, she was at a lost of words.

Before she started walking towards the door she heard his voice. Broken and silently pleading "Rae?… will you please stay here with me… until I fall sleep?" when she turned to him he had stopped in front of his bed and was turning his head to her.

She nodded in silence and followed him to his bed. He laid down and made space for her to sit. She nodded but before she sat she used a sheet to cover him. He gave her a small smile and closed his eyes. She decided to meditate while she waited for him to fall sleep.

She crossed her legs, still sitting on his bed and quietly started to recite her mantra.

Her back was to him, she had managed to turn off the lights with her dark energy and the light of the full moon shone thru the window next to his bed.

He opened his eyes for a moment and saw her cape then the back of her head. She was sitting very straight in what seemed to be a lotus position. Her quiet mantra seemed to have the same soothing effect on him as it did to her while meditating for in a few minutes later, he fell sleep with a smile on his face.

After about ten minutes, she could hear his soft snoring. She watched him for some time.

Something she couldn't do while he was awake or she'll never hear the end of it. But at the moment, he seemed peaceful, but she noticed a frown showed on his face.

He was laying on his back and the moonlight was bright enough to see his expression.

From under his eyelids, she noticed his eyes move from one side to the other, signaling that he was having a dream. She got curious and got closer.

Raven sensed a wave of fear and desperation emanating from him. Suddenly, he started to toss and turn. "A nightmare" she thought. But the wave of emotions didn't subside so she decided to enter his mind. She gave him a peck on his forehead, sat down next to him on a lotus position, closed her eyes and recited her mantra once more.

Her energy sent her in a whirlwind of emotions. Everything was black but then she felt her feet on the ground. She opened her eyes and realized she wasn't on the ground per se, it moved precariously and made her loose her balance and fell on what seemed a puddle of water.

She realized she was inside a small cabin. Perhaps used as storage for there was no bed or furniture other than a small table, several crates piled by the corners and a small round window.

But the noises was what caught her attention. The sea?. There was water everywhere and outside the window the storm threatened with breaking the glass any time.

She felt panic, she recalled the time when she was trapped in Mambo's water torture chamber, to which she would have died in if it wasn't for Beast Boy.

She shook the memory recalling that she never thanked him and made a mental note to herself to do so as soon as he woke up.

Suddenly, the small cabin began to creek and sway precariously. She heard steps running down the wooden steps and a man appeared shouting at the top of his lungs "GARFIELD, GARFIELD, WHERE ARE YOU!"

Raven's eyes went wide when from behind a pile of crates a small green boy emerged, no older that six or seven.

He looked scared beyond reason and the man at the door run to him, got on his knees and hug the boy.

Raven had levitated and was with her back to the nearest wall. They couldn't see her as this was a memory, but the scene just surprised her. The boy tried to say something but was muffled by the man's shoulder.

Raven looked at the man and recognized Beast Boys features on him. "his father" she thought.

Then suddenly the man got up and started to pull the boy up the stairs. Garfield started to pull back and said "BUT DAD, THERE IS SOMETHING I NEED TO TELL YOU" he yelled over the commotion of the thunderstorm. The man yelled back "NO TIME, WE HAVE TO GO, YOUR MOTHER IS WAITING"

"NO, WE CANT LEAVE YET, WE CAN LEAVE HER" again ,young Garfield yelled but his father didn't hear him and picked him up and run upstairs.

When Raven was about to go after them she heard a noise behind the crates. Someone sniffed. She turned around and moved towards the corner and saw a little girl with tears in her eyes, sitting on her knees.

Raven's eyes went wide open again as she understood who the "her" was when young Garfield tried to stop his father.

She then levitated towards the steps and follow them up to the cockpit where a huge disarray and mayhem greeted her.

The storm was at its fullest. The skies where black, the wind blew furiously and the waves slammed merciless against the small boat.

The mast was broken at the base, the control room had flames here and there and sparks could be heard.

She went out and tried to find the family. A life boat was being lowered slowly. The boat's condition under the mayhem made it difficult to maneuver.

Suddenly, a lightning hit the front of the boat, cracking it almost in half. Causing the lifeboat and its passengers to fall into the retching havoc of the river. Still tied to the now blazing boat, the small lifesaver was of no use. The father emerged first, then the mother pulling young Garfield to the surface.

Raven had been watching from afar in the air, as she could not do anything, just watch the events unfold.

Then she saw the father point ahead of them. Raven followed the direction of his arm with her eyes and saw the waterfall just a few yards away. She turned to them again, asking herself why had he not transform into an animal to save his family. But she answered herself as she reasoned that he seemed to be too small for such a task, not mentioning the fear that was consuming him.

She saw they were pushing him, lifting him in the air as if to throw him. She got closer and understood what they were saying "YOU CAN DO IT GARFIELD, GO, FLY AWAY, FIND HELP BUT SAVE YOURSELF" said the father with a mix of fear and rage.

The boy was crying holding on tightly to him and his mother and saying "NO, I WONT, I WONT LEAVE YOU" the father seemed angrier and made the attempt to hit his son if he didn't comply.

The mother stopped him and put herself in between her husband and son and said "YOU CAN DO IT SWEETHEART. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN GET AWAY. PLEASE DO IT FOR ME."

the mother said with tears in her eyes, "I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU MOM. I LOVE YOU" said a crying young Garfield "I KNOW MY DEAR BOY, BUT YOU MUST… DO IT FOR ME… PROMISE ME THAT YOU'LL SAVE YOURSELF AND DON'T LOOK BACK"

She hugged him the best she could on the water. The father swam forward and hugged him too and kissed him on the top of his head.

The scene was heart breaking. Raven couldn't stop the tears as she watched how they were trying to save their son.

They lifted him again and he was able to turn into a seagull and started to fly away. She followed him but turned back when he did and stopped midair.

What she saw was the most panic-stricken image she had ever encounter. The ravaging storm was sinking the boat in flames, the wind threaten to overturn it over his parents.

She could feel the thunders buildup and that's when she saw the small girl, running towards the edge as best she could, grabbing on to the handles and whatever else that was steady enough to hold her.

A lightning hit the boat again and she couldn't see anything. "NOOO" they both yelled and Raven felt as if someone had tackled her out of the sky.

_What about this for a cliffhanger? _

_I hope you like the story so far. Please review as I'm still in the process of learning better writing techniques, or just writing better all together, but I'll get better at it if I know what you think._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3. Safe**

"Noooo…" Raven yelled alongside someone else, and before she knew it, she had been knocked out of the sky and fell with a muffled thud.

Raven opened her eyes and tried to focus on her surroundings. It was quiet, dark but more important, there was someone holding her down, breathing fast and hard.

What stopped her from using her dark magic and propel her assailant off of her was his scared whispers "not you… I'm not going to loose you Raven…"

it was Beast Boy. Trembling, sobbing each word. She felt her neck and shoulder wet with his tears.

They had fallen on a pile of clothes. She remembered it as she had walked over it when she made her way to sit on his bed earlier.

And although softer compared to the floor, the knots of clothes started to bother her back. But could not bring herself to move him as he might still think he's in the nightmare she had witness.

So slowly, she rubbed his back to calm him down. Beast Boy lifted his head slowly. The moonlight shone on his tear stricken face. Her heart felt heavy. She had never seen him so scared and vulnerable.

"I wont loose you" he whispered again. A tear running down his cheek. She managed to get her right hand free and with her finger captured the runaway tear and whispered in what she hoped was a soothing tone "I'm right here Garfield. I'm safe with you. We are home"

He gave her a half smile and laid his head back on her shoulder still not letting go of her.

Raven thought that she ought to be mad at him, in raging fury for pushing her down, not getting off of her when obviously the nightmare was over. But then, the memories of his dream flashed in her mind. Making her remember sensing the terror, fear and despair young Garfield had felt then and how helpless and guilty he felt now.

" all those emotions are not from a memory Rae. He is really feeling fear, despair…sorrow among other things." said Knowledge in her mind.

"He needs us Rae, let him be. You can be mad at him tomorrow if you want but right now he needs to hold on to some kind of reality to keep himself sane… at least for the night."

Raven signed and tried to settle for the night the best she could. Beast Boy had fallen sleep again and he was snoring softly on her shoulder "he better not drool on me" she thought to herself before falling sleep.

The last thing he saw was her. The Ice Queen, that tried with all her might to hold every emotion within for dear life. Always detached and cold.

Mean and even violent when he went too far with his pranks and taunting just to make her smile.

He had been thrown out the window in more than one occasion as punishment. But also, in more than one occasion, she had showed that she cared about her friends. Even him. Just like now.

He had been so depressed after he found out there was someone else like him, because at times, he, the clown, the jester… the one that always had a smile on his face, not only felt alone but also lonely.

Even Cyborg could grow tired and bored of his lame jokes and pranks. Robin didn't tolerate him as much and Starfire, although always happy and loving, could kill the joy of a good prank when she didn't understand what was going on.

But with Raven, it was a challenge. He had made it his ultimate goal to one day, make her smile. A goal that, no matter how angry she got, he enjoyed pursuing.

Her remarks could be mean and at times even cruel. But he always let it slide and kept on smiling. Every now and then she would really hurt his feelings but would get him alone and apologize and he would be the happiest teen ever.

And now, here she was. Not to apologize but with real concern. To others, her signature monotone would be despotic and cold, but he knew her better. Knew her moods very well and could hear the change in her voice. Specially when she was worried. He always knew he could count on her.

He had asked her to stay until he felt sleep. He knew it probably wouldn't be for long for she had little patience sometimes. But Beast Boy was glad she stayed never the less.

He watched her meditate. Whisper her mantra and lull him to sleep. But then, the dream began.

Started out the same. A normal looking six year old Garfield playing with his childhood friend.

His parents ,research scientist ,always traveling and moving all over had finally settled in the south coast of Africa, long enough for him to make a few friends.

But the one constant friend young Garfield had, was a girl. The five year old daughter of one of his parent's associates in the lab.

They were inseparable. Always laughing, always exploring, always playing pranks on each other.

That day had started as it usualy did. After breakfast, young Garfield and little Meliha left to play in the forest. It was Saturday, so no school was open and they had all day to play.

They lived in a secured perimeter thanks to the scientist's insistence that their kids needed to be safe and away from wild animals while their parents worked at the labs.

The kids run to their favorite spot. A grassy opening in the plains that had a pond, not too deep. They would watch the small frogs swimming in the water.

After a while they started to play hide and seek. Garfield was really good at it because he could climb the trees without much noise and Meliah would look for him until she got tired or bored and once she even cried, thinking he had left her.

But he came down and started to call her. "Meliah… where are you" said Garfield, who started to get nervous. "Meliah, is not funny, come out already…" then suddenly he heard something and saw something move behind the bush.

He backed up a couple of steps and when he got closer to the bushes the girl jumped behind him with a loud "BOO !" that made him scream out of fear and fall on his behind.

The little girl could not contain her laughter as she was also holding her stomach and could hardly breath. Young Garfield frown and got up, dusting off his shorts.

He yelled "THAT WAS NOT FUNNY MELIAH,WHY DID YOU DO THAT FOR"

The little girl finally calmed down and saw his face. He was mad at her. She showed him a frown of her own and said "well you started it.. I was looking for you and called you many times and you left me behind"…

Garfield saw her expression, she seemed ready to cry. He got closer and hugged her "M, you know I would never leave you behind. We were just playing. And you scared me, I thought something happened to you when I couldn't find you"

He then let go of her and smiled, she did too until she saw over his shoulder. Her eyes went wide open and held her breath. He followed her eyes and turn around and then he saw it. A monkey that might have been his height was walking slowly towards them, but what caught his eye was the foam coming out of its mouth and the red eyes. He turned around fully having his back to Meliah, slowly, he started to back away. The girl made no sound and just followed his lead.

At some point she whispered "Gar, I'm scared" her lower lip trembling. "shhh" he whispered back.

The wild animal seemed confused. He kept scratching his body and started to convulse which made the kids stop in terror.

There was a noise on their right side. Someone running towards them then stopped. The animal had heard the noise too and started to growl. It sounded sick.

And then without warning the animal charged on the direction of the kids. Garfield was quick and pulled the girl away of the monkey's clutches.

The animal stumbled and quickly got up, scratching the ground with its long nails. The kids were running but the girl made the mistake of looking back, the monkey was close, but she failed on seeing the ground and tripped on a root. She fell with a thud and when she looked up, the monkey was making his way back to her. She closed her eyes and screamed.

A shot was heard which paralyzed the animal for a split second. Garfield came back and quickly helped her up and started to run in the opposite direction.

The animal noticed this and charged once again. And was about to bite her leg when Garfield pushed her out of the way and instead of her leg, the animal's mouth found the boy's leg.

He screamed in pain and fell as another shot was heard. This time closer. Garfield tried to open his eyes and all he could see was the monkey's lifeless body fall next to him and blood coming out. After that he fell unconscious.

From there, everything seemed to flash faster.

He woke up a found himself in a hospital. He could feel an iv on his left arm. He looked around and saw Meliah sitting next to him.

"are you ok Gar?" she asked with a worried look on her face. "I feel fine M, why do you…" he paused as he noticed his arm. It was green.

Next flash was a pouting Meliah standing next to him. They were in the backyard playing when other kids passed by and yelled "HEY VEGETABLE BOY, DID YOU EAT TOO MUCH BROCOLLY ?" and laughed alongside his friends.

The other kid said " DO YOU LIKE MY BIKE?" Garfield said no with his head… "THEN WHY ARE YOU SO GREEN WITH ENVY" he closed his hands into fists.

Next was Meliah with bandages on her face. She was sleeping thanks to a sedative. He looked down his hands and cried into them. He remembered what had happened.

After those kids were making fun of him, he felt so angry that something snapped in him and he felt change and growl and became a bear.

When Meliah screamed, a startled Garfield/Bear turned around and hit her with his paw. He then, transformed back and run to her, but she had fainted.

Next ,a smiling Meliah was staring at him with three long and red scars along the left side of her face, from her nose to the hairline at an angle.

It was a miracle he didn't hurt her eye. But as painful as it was, she tried to smile for him and told him "Don't worry Gar, I'm ok. Its not your fault. I still love you" and hugged him.

Next was the journey in the small boat. A storm was forming, he could feel it. His pointy ears tingled at the far away sound of a thunder.

The sky was dark and the wind had picked up. But that could not stop them. Garfield and his parents needed to leave before any more trouble arose.

After the accident with Meliah, his parents found out the side effects of the treatment.

When young Garfield had been bitten by the monkey, they found out it had rabies. From that he had gotten very ill. His immune system was shutting down and they were running out of options.

But as scientist's nature, they never stopped researching and in less than a day, they had figured out a serum that would help their son's immune system to fight the virus that was draining his life.

But although the procedure worked faster than what they expected. One of the first side effects was his skin color.

Slowly but surely, was becoming green. At first there were patches of what seemed to be bruises in the brown to green transition before it fades out, but instead, the color spread. And much to their surprise, he was green from head to toe in less than three hours. Then his ears seemed to elongate making them pointy. His hair turn green and finally, a fang was sticking out from his lower lip upwards.

There was no going back. And as his health got stronger so did the acceptance of his changes.

But when the accident with little Meliah happened, all hell broke loose. For one of the side effects they had not expected was a shape shifting mutation.

The little girl had been rushed to the hospital. And although young Garfield had said it had been a bear, they started to get suspicious as to the nature of the "accident" . so, in order to protect their son, they had decided to leave the small village before anyone found out about his condition.

And so, now young Garfield found himself staring out the small round window at the troubled waters. The wind made the sails whip all over and the small boat swayed precariously.

And scared him to pieces. But most of all because he was leaving his best friend behind. But something made him turn. In the small cabin. A whimper. When he looked again it was Meliah. Hidden behind the crates that contained his few belongings.

Then, a huge crack was heard. And a loud thud on the ceiling. He ran to the girl and kneeled down next to her and held her as if to protect her.

He could hear his father yelled "WE LOST THE MAST". then the thunders got louder and lightning seemed closer.

At this point, in his mind, older Garfield felt as if he wasn't alone. Somehow, he could sense a familiar presence. One that reminded him that his surroundings were not real.

But could not stop what came next. The rush, the noise. His father coming down to get him and didn't hear him when he yelled that Merliah was hiding.

Then how the were thrown overboard and how the small lifeboat was no match for the tempest that the storm and wind was making out of the usually passive river.

For a moment he forgot about the girl once his father pointed at the waterfall nearby. He said goodbye to his parents and transformed into a seagull and started to maneuver over the wind and rain.

But before he turned, a loud thunder was rumbling, knowing that soon after, a lightning would hit. When it did, he turned and saw the boat giving way to a sinking position in the water and before the next lightning was out he saw them.

Meliah, had emerged from the cabin grabbing on to the railing and then he saw … Raven?… "NOOOO" he opened his eyes and with lightning speed he threw himself at her throwing both of them off the bed.

He couldn't believe he had got to her on time. He was happy and so couldn't fight back the tears. He realized then than loosing Raven would devastate him more than he realized before and so he held on to her for dear life as he whispered "not you, I wont loose you Raven… I wont loose you."

He realized that she was stroking his back very softly, so he lifted his head and saw her beautiful face.

He concentrated on her lips for a moment. And when she said "I'm right here Garfield, I'm safe with you. We are home." he thought his heart would escape his chest and tried to say something but all he could do to give her a little smile.

And then he hugged her again. This time, he dreamt of his beautiful demoness and her soft words "I'm here Garfield, I'm safe with you. We are home…"

As they both fell into deep slumber, a shadow crossed along the window. A figure that seemed to do a free falling but instead of a thud, the flapping of wings broke the silence in the distance.

_i hope the whole dream scene wasnt too confusing. i tried to explain it as brief as i could but couldnt go without a little explanation so it would make sense. pls review_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4. Remember me?**

Beast Boy had gone outside to the beach by the rocks. His favorite place when he needed to think.

He was replaying the events of that morning. He had woken up, ready to take on whatever punishment she might had had for him but instead, she had surprised him with a hug and a kiss.

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Not long after they had fallen asleep again, he woke up, uncortable for the position. for a moment he had forgotten. But when he tried to move a soft breath on his neck stopped him.

Slowly he lifted his head and gasped silently. Raven was sound sleep in his arms on the floor. He decided to get up, no need to wake her and bring her wrath upon him. but after further inspection of their position, getting up without waking her was impossible for his arms were wrapped around her torso.

Somehow he managed to slide to the side folding his legs and proping up on his knees, lifting her slowly off the floor. "hmmm, she's not as heavy as she seems" he thought to himself while he walked to his bed with Raven in his arms.

He put her down gently on her back. Stirred for a moment, but settled herself on her side, putting an arm under her head, the other one, pal down on the bed and sighed.

BeastBoy ha been watching her, frozen in place for fear she might wake up but then, he edged closer to get a better look at her. The soft moonlight gave her a glowing, peacefull look. He couldnt help but smile to himself and thought "why not? is not like she's not gonna kill me already". He leaned in and place a soft kiss on her lips.

Then walked to the window and sat on the window sill.

It was almost dawn before Raven woke up. Looked around her and settled on the changeling perched on the window. He turn to her and smiled. Raven got up, run her fingers lightly thru her hair, fixed her cloak over her shoulders and walked to him.

He got off the window sill and stand up not knowing what to expect. A slap on the face, a punch on the stomach, thrown out the window or a trip to another dimention. "hopefully not the dimetion where her father is" he thought to himself. she got closer and closed his eyes and braced himself for impact, but instead, she hugged him. But what surprised him even more was that she had grabbed his face with her small hands and pulled him to her and kissed him softly on the lips. After a few seconds she let go off him and phased thru the floor before he had a chance to react.

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He felt in heaven for hours after that, even though she had left his room without a word.

He had been watching the evening starting to fade. Looking at the sun play its last dance on the water on the horizon when an uneasy feeling made him turn just in time before a jaguar pounced on him. Beast Boy was quick to move turning into a cheetah and had jumped off to the side.

Before he knew it, an anaconda was wrapping itself tightly on him, squeezing the air out of his lungs.

Somehow he managed to morph into a bird and fly away when he heard the cry of a falcon, ready grab him with its talons but knocked him off the air instead.

Beast boy shifted back into his human form upon landing with a thud. He got up on time to see to the falcon's landing a few feet from him and saw it turn into a bear. Growling low, looking straight at him, ready to attack.

With an aching body, he assumed a defense pose, still panting from the exertion. At this, the bear roared but didn't move from its position.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Beast Boy yelled at the bear. In turn, the animal roared back and took a step forward.

Beast boy turned into a T-Rex, lower its head and body and roared back.

The bear also turned into a T-Rex and mimic the green dinosaur. Both baring lines and lines of sharp teeth to one another. Circling each other without attacking.

Beast boy couldn't help but notice something besides his opponent's skin color. What really made him stop with a gasp and turn back into his human form.

Out of the surface of the scaly skin, the remnants of what seemed to be a scar played across the top of the brown T-Rex's right eye, as if not concealed completely.

In the main time, the rest of the team were in the common room. Cyborg was surfing the tv channels, while trying to conceal peeks at Raven who had been reading, or attempting to read on the other side of the couch. But seemed distracted. In fact, she had been distracted since breakfast.

Robin was sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee while Starfire sipped mustard with a straw.

Cyborg turned off the tv and looked around. Robin noticed the sudden silence and asked "something wrong Cy?

"Did you guys feel that? He said getting up and heading towards the big window. "some kind of rumble…" he continued until he saw outside "hey guys… since when BB's T-Rex is brown?"

They all gathered at the window and look down to the beach. And there it was, what could be a natural looking T-Rex roaring and ready to attack at whatever it had in front of it.

Cyborg used his robotic eye to magnify the image and upon inspection, he saw the dinosaur's target. It was Beast Boy, panting on the floor on his human form.

The tin man gasped and said "THAT'S NOT BEAST BOY, THAT'S THE PHANTOM AND IS ATTACKING B."

"TITANS, GO!" yelled Robin heading to the door followed by Starfire and Cyborg. Raven had already phased through the floor and appeared a few yards away from the confrontation.

Beast Boy, in the main time had stopped short. The scent of the other shape shifter had been vaguely familiar, but didn't have time to discern it until he saw the half scar on the other T-Rex. After that, he had lost all the drive to fight back.

The T-Rex bared its teeth in what seemed to be a grin and turned into its human form.

The human across Beast Boy was a girl. Slightly taller than him. Slender in an athletic way. When she moved however, seemed like a jungle cat, with malice and purpose as if analyzing how to attack its pray.

She started to walk towards the green Titan who seemed rooted to the ground. The others appeared not too far, Starfire hovering just above them.

"yo B, you ok man.. what's going on?' asked Cyborg. Beast Boy however, lifted a hand to signal them to stop and with a solemn look on his face he said " stay out of this guys… she's come for me" then turned to the girl.

The girl stopped a few from him "I see you remember me, Garfield" said with severe look on her face.

"who is she Beast Boy?" said Raven who up until then had been a few feet away on Beast Boy's left side but ready to attack.

"it's…" he started to say but he was interrupted when the girl snapped at Raven and said "NONE OF YOUR BUSSINESS DEMON" and turned to Beast Boy again.

"How long has it been Garfield? Ten years?…" she scoff with disdain "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this?"

Beast Boy had his head hung and didn't dare to look at her in the eyes at a loss of words to respond. This made her angrier. She tighten her fist and glared at him.

"Have you any idea what I've been through? All because I held you to your promise of never leaving me behind? … until I finally realized you were never coming back?"

Beast Boy had closed his eyes but winced and pressed them tighter at her words.

The girl had gotten close and was walking around him. He could feel her angry glare behind him.

Raven was listening and glaring at the girl, ready to make a move, her magic concentrating on her hands and eyes glowing.

Beast Boy opened his eyes, glazed with threatening tears and locked eyes with Raven for a moment before motioning no with his head and closed them back up.

"WELL?" The girl asked with barely contained anger.

"I'm sorry" he whispered.

"Sorry?… SORRY! … is that all you have to say for yourself Garfield Mark Logan?" And with this, she shoved him back. He didn't put a fight and just let her push him some more.

She was angry, real angry now but couldn't bring himself to stop her assault.

"ANSWER ME!.. Say something…. Do something for crying out loud!."

She pushed him again. His body was limp. His chest ached, not from her shoving but guilt.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the others approach, weapons and star bolts at the ready. Raven's obsidian dark magic had never faded. The humming of Cyborg's cannon charging made him talk "Don't attack her!" he warned "she's not here to fight anyone but me".

Starfire, who's star bolts faded at his remark said "but friend Beast Boy… she will hurt you… we can help…" clasping her hands against her chest and a worried look at the girl who seemed wild with anger.

"then let her… I deserve it…"

Cyborg put away his cannon and looked at Robin. "we gotta do something Rob, I got a bad feeling about this" he whispered to the Boy Wonder. "Me too".. he said.

"Are you going to answer me now?…

Nothing.

"Are you even going to try to defend yourself?"

Nothing again. She shoved him once more but he did or said nothing in return. This made her angrier all the more. She growled and ever roared like an encaged animal still in her human form.

A few feet away …"Man, … he seems to have a knack for getting the females around him pissed off at him" said Cyborg crossing his arms on his chest.

"this is more that pissed off Cy… do you still carry that dart on you?" asked Robin not looking away from the confrontation.

Cyborg looked at him with suspicion. Reluctantly he said "yeah, but … that was designed for BB, I don't know what kind of reaction someone else would have to it."

"I know, but we must be prepared." Robin said crossing his arms as well and looked back at the enraged girl and the changeling.

"Have you ever spared a thought for me?…. Did you even care?"

To this he snapped his eyes open "of course I cared M…"

"LIAR!" she interrupted him. Her eyes were wild in anger, her hands turning white from tight fist on her sides.

"then prove it… fight me!" she saw the others move but ignore them.

"I have no right to fight you back… I can only tell you that I'm really, really sorry for leaving you behind"

The others were close enough to see the girl's hands shake. "have it ready, we cannot waist time" said Robin to Cyborg who was pressing buttons on the key pad of his forearm "I don't know about this Rob…"

"but friend Cyborg, look at her. If she is not contained she will hurt friend Beast Boy. He is not even trying to defend himself" said Starfire next to Robin.

Raven appeared next to them "any idea of what can we do?.. He's too close to attack her and he wont defend himself"

"any idea what's going on?" Robin motioned to the two changelings.

"Apparently she's come for revenge and he thinks he deserves it" Raven answered thru gritted teeth.

"we got an idea but you need to distract her long enough for us to get a lock on her" said Robin

"we don't know how her system will react but at least will stop her long enough to subdue her" said Cyborg showing Raven the dart. She nodded.

"ready?" asked Robin.

"on it" said Raven before she disappeared into a black hole on the ground.

In the main time, the girl was glaring at Beast Boy, growling. He noticed her fangs, just like his but much more sharper.

Their senses tingled due to Raven's dark magic in the proximity. Beast Boy made the mistake to avert his eyes for a brief second in Raven's direction. The girl growl once more not taking her eyes off him and said "so. Be it!"

She took a step back, leaned forward as if ready to attack. He closed his eyes cringing at the upcoming pain. But instead, the girl pivoted to her right and with lighting speed turned into a cheetah and darted towards the spot where Raven would soon appear.

At the same time, Beast Boy had opened his eyes when no contact had been made but soon realized she had changed her target and was already in mid-air towards the empath, taking her by surprise.

Something snapped in him and no sooner than the cheetah had knocked Raven down, baring her teeth at her, than something knocked her off the sorceress slamming her hard to the ground.

The Beast had the cheetah pinned down, roaring at her angrily. The feline turned back to her human form and growl back saying "I've heard of you…don't even think for a minute that I'm afraid of you"

An with that, she managed to kick the beast on his side and distract him long enough for her to shift into a snake and slither away from the Beast's claws.

Then quickly turned into a rhino and charged at the Beast. But he was much faster and jumped over the rhino and charged at it with bared teeth.

The rhino turned into a gorilla and managed to counter attack. But with brute force, The Beast lifted the gorilla over his head and threw her a few feet away.

But before the gorilla touched the ground, turned into a panther, roared and jumped to attack the Beast again.

But a hiss in the air distracted her in mid-air and felt a prickle on her left side and started to loose consciousness at the same time that the Beast knocked her off and both landed with a sick thud. By then, she had turned to her human form.

The Beast heard the others running to him. He turned to them, roared. That stopped their tracks then sniff at the girl on the ground. A pool of blood was forming around her.

Slowly, the Beast started to disappear and Beast Boy was panting from exertion. The Beast itself was a draining change.

He opened his eyes and looked down. Gasped at the sight of blood around him. She wasn't breathing.

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_So,what do you think so far? ... three chapters and barely any reviews. And although i'm having fun writting my ideas away , i would like to receive some feed back. Dont be shy. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5. Decisions **

Starfire flew across the field to get to Raven who was still on the ground, dusting off her cape.

The alien put her arms around Raven and helped her up "Friend Raven, are you ok?"

Raven was glad that the alien girl had not seen her expression before. At first and for a split moment, she felt scared. She hadn't expected to be attacked right out of her portal. Let alone had a few set of sharp teeth just inches above her face.

But then, she also wondered how the other girl figured out where she would appear next.

She was thrown out of her revere when Starfire shook her shoulders slightly to get her attention. "I'm fine Star, lets go to the others."

In the main time, Cyborg had come running and knelt down next to the girl. Using his robotic arm, he scanned the girl to find her vitals. "B, you alright? That was some massive throwing you did there."

Beast Boy snapped out of his surprise and said "Dude! What did you do? I told you not to attack her" he almost yelled at his friend.

"Beast boy calm down, it was just a tranquilizer." Said Robin with a frown.

"Or what? Did you think we were going to let her pummel you around while we watched from the sidelines?" said Raven in an aggravated tone.

"Are you ok Raven?" asked Robin standing on the other side of the unconscious girl.

"yes" she said severely "but I doubt she is" she said motioning to the ground. There was blood all over the girl's left leg, her shirt was ripped on the sides and scratched all over her arms and neck.

Beast Boy asked not taking his eyes away from the fallen girl "Cy? Is she going to be ok?"

"The tranquilizer stopped her enough but the knockdown the beast gave her is a different story. Her pulse is almost nonexistent, and her breathing is ragged. Not mentioning the broken bones… we need to take her to the med bay pronto! … Raven! Can you take her there and hook her to an iv, I'll be there soon" Cyborg said running almost out of breath and leaving no room for discussion.

The empath narrowed her eyes and said "Better yet, you can do it yourself!…"

And with that, she enveloped everyone into a bubble of her dark energy and teleported them to the med bay.

Once there, she levitated the girl to the hospital bed and immediately, the others started to work on her.

Cyborg hooked the iv to her left arm while Robin hooked the heart monitor and Starfire brought an oxygen mask to the girl's face to help her breath.

"Rob, get the morphine going… Star, get the defibrillator , I'm getting a flat line here…" Cyborg was all business now.

Moving everyone around to get the surgery going. A loud "CLEAR!" was heard and a shock of electricity run through the girl's body, finally getting a heart beat.

With that, Cyborg hooked the sedatives in place and the morphine going intravenously.

Then, he looked at the green Titan and the empath and told them " You two get out, we can't have all these people here and I can only tend to one at the time and you two look like you're ready to fall over"

And with that started to work on the girl's injuries while Starfire cleaned the blood and Robin tended to the monitors.

Raven didn't protest. Feeling drained from teleporting so many people at once she was relishing her soft bed, or perhaps meditating to calm herself.

She still had to figure out what had happened that morning. She still was yet to find a reason to complain about it, but found none… so far.

But a green hand stopped her in her tracks and train of thought.

"Rae? Can you heal her?" he said with pleading eyes and a soft begging tone.

"What!?" she turned sharply.

"Please Rae, I hurt her even more when she was already unconscious. I lost control and she's dying… again.. Because of me … but this time, I can do something about it…with your help.. Please!"

"And what will you do once she's awake? Go at it again? Because in that case, it will be pointless of me to even consider…" Raven said thru gritted teeth.

" Did she hurt you?" He interrupted.

" She knocked me down in case you didn't notice" she said. Barely able to control her anger. Her eyes were glowing while small items on the waiting room were being pulverized in dark magic.

"I saw that.. But, did she actually hurt you?" He said, ignoring what was going on around them.

"No but…"

"And she wasn't going to. She was trying to get me to fight her back. And she did, but I wasn't counting on you guys using a tranquilizer on her" he said taking a deep breath.

"So you're saying this was our fault?! She almost yelled. "NO! all I'm saying is that I cannot walk away again while she's fighting for her life…"

Beast boy started to yell but he ended up whispering the last bit as his own words sank in.

Raven had closed her eyes at this point, trying to bring some calm to herself. When she opened back up, they were no longer glowing.

"ok" was all she said. No expression, not even a slight change on her tone.

They walked in the med bay silently and stopped next to Cyborg who had a mask on and gloves while he performed the surgery, with blood stains all over.

The tip of his right hand's fingers were open and had a series of surgical tools in use. Also covered in blood.

Starfire had been hovering over the girl trying to help suturing the open wounds.. Robin was still at the monitors, having no idea on how to help except by getting the readings and call out for occasional disturbances.

Raven stepped next to Cyborg and motioned for him to move. Then lifted her hands over the girl's body concentrating on her healing powers.

Tendrils of her dark magic were making their way into the wounds. Slowly starting to heal the worst parts from the inside.

As broken bones, torn ligaments and muscles were being restored, Raven had an idea of the girl's injuries, not only recent but old wounds, some not properly healed.

Others adjusted at odd angles, perhaps shifted too soon and the old wounds found a better position to scar.

Then Raven had a thought. While she was now a little more that exhausted, she felt strong enough to keep her healing magic going and perhaps take a peek into the girl's mind.

Not a long trip, just enough to see why had she attacked Beast Boy earlier. The thought was disconcerting on itself but even more so that she cared enough to even consider it on his behalf. So, silently she chanted her mantra.

In the main time, the others had gathered a few feet away from Raven. Cyborg had pulled Beast Boy with them while the sorceress settled to perform the girl's healing.

"What do you think you're doing Beast Boy. I told you to take her to rest. Teleporting drains her energy faster when there is someone besides her" Said Cyborg on stern hushed tones.

"I know, but I had to ask. I could not do nothing again and.." said Beast boy in matching tones but was interrupted by Robin "What do you mean again. Where do you know her from?

"shhhh, friends, Raven needs to concentrate and…" Starfire started to say but a sharp intake of air got their attention back to the hospital bed.

The girl had started to wake up, kicking and throwing her arms around as if trying to escape. Raven had backed away a couple of steps and Beast Boy was quickly at her side suddenly shielding her with his body as he once did with a small girl.

Cyborg was already on the other side of the bed with Starfire trying to attach the IV on her arm again and feed her the sedatives.

Slowly but surly. The girl started to move slower until she felt limp on the bed. Robin was already placing the security belts around her legs above her knees, her stomach and across her shoulders.

Beast Boy turned to Raven who had not moved nor said a word all the while. She was paler than usual but her eyes almost wide, seemed to be focused on something far away.

Beast Boy took her hands and squeezed them softly to get her attention. She blinked a few times, taking in her surroundings then settled on Beast Boy's face for a moment before looking down at their hands.

Before any of them could say something, Cyborg spoke again "Alright y'all, everyone needs to get out and rest…" he said directly at Raven and BeastBoy "really rest this time". his voice left no room for argument.

Beast Boy looked at the unconscious girl on the bed then at the tin man, concern in his eyes. "Don't worry B, I'll be watching her closely." Cyborg said.

With one last look at the girl, Beast Boy turned and led Raven out of the room followed by Robin and Starfire.

Once outside, Raven sat on a chair. Starfire was at her right side seconds later with a glass of water which she took reluctantly with a soft "Thanks Star"

Beast Boy was on her left kneeling down next to her. He put a hand on her shoulder "Rae what happened? What did you see?"

"Give me a minute, please" she said taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment.

Robin, who had been pacing on the far end of the waiting room, came to a halt and turned their way. Walked up to them, pulled a chair in front of them and asked "Beast Boy, who is she?"

Starfire asked "Friend Beast Boy, why was she so intent on harming you?"

"Beast Boy, is she who I think it is?" Raven asked arching an eyebrow. He nodded not looking up from the floor.

Raven gasped in understanding, Robin was still confused. "Raven, what's going on?"

When silence was all he got, he said "Can someone explain to me what the hell is going on. Who is she, where do you two know her from.." exasperated.

Starfire put a hand on his arm to calm him down, silently asking him to be patient. He looked at her ready to snap but when he saw her pleading eyes, all he could do was take a deep breath and nodded slightly.

"I didn't tell you everything about the day my parents died. Somehow, she was also aboard. But I failed to save them. I wasn't strong enough.. I didn't know how to turn into anything else other than birds and I couldn't save any of them.".. he said with his head hung and tears running.

Raven took his hand reluctantly but gave him a soft squeeze. Starfire had flown on his other side, kneeling down next to him, hugging him.

"So she came for revenge." Was an statement Robin made trying to make sense of the situation. He started to pace again in front of them. Head bent, hand on his chin in deep thought.

"I'm not sure if is revenge per se." said Raven, bringing everybody's attention to her.

"what do you mean friend Raven? Wasn't it obvious?" said Starfire trying to make sense on Raven's words.

"I went into her mind for a brief moment. Saw bits and pieces of her memories. Not much, but enough to discern the kind of upbringing she had. Her mind is extremely troubled but there is something else… there is a reason to her irrational behavior, but her mind woke up before I could find out what…"

Raven said in a monotone that almost broke at the end. She remembered the flashes of memories. Needles, electric shocks, underwater experimentation. The girl's screams of fear and terror on each procedure.

Chains and screams of someone else. All the while lightning and thunder could be heard on the background, until a pair of piercing, giant crystal blue eyes glared at her from the darkened skies coming out of the fogs of her memories. Raven had managed to say "We can help" before the eyes closed and disappeared.

Raven shuddered involuntarily. But didn't go into detail.

At that moment, Cyborg made his way out of the med bay. Beast Boy looked up at him, got up and was ready to say something, when Cyborg lifted his hand to stop him.

"She's alright B, but we got another situation" Everyone had gathered around him now.

"Her metabolism is like BB's but much faster. She's burning the sedatives and morphine like butter on hot waffles. At this rate she'll be awake in less than ten minutes, so.. Have y'all decided what to do with her after that?"

He looked at them and they looked at each other. "We need to keep her contained." said Robin. Cyborg turned on his heels and headed back to the med bay.

"Dude!, she's not a villain or a prisoner" Beast boy said with more anger in his tone than what he had intended.

"We've seen what she can do Beast Boy. We cannot risk to find out what she's capable of" answer Robin, trying to make him see logic.

Beast Boy just glared but decided that Robin's words made sense. "Let me talk to her" He said calmer now after a few deep breaths.

"And what makes you think she's going to want to talk after what happened?" Robin was now more frustrated.

"Enough!" She walked in between the two boys and said "She's awake"

The two bickering Titans fell into silence. Starfire gasped.

"Can you tell if she's still angry?" asked Robin in an strained voice.

"She is… but she's also very afraid, which might make her violent again"

She glared at her team mates again and said "So you two better stop and come with a solution quick. We have neither time nor room for two rampaging animals in the tower." She looked from one to the other before walking into the med bay.

Beast Boy, Robin and Starfire were left behind in silence.

Beast Boy turned to Robin "Dude, let me try to talk to her. If she's mad at me then I'll take the hit, but I have to find out something." he said and started to walk towards the med bay.

"Find out what?" asked Starfire.

"How in the world is she like me" and with that he went in the room leaving a perplexed Robin and Starfire behind.


	6. Chapter 6

_**I want to thank everyone that has given me from a thumps up to a serious critique. i'm greatful for those and happy that my story is read. **_

_**Now, i have a short chapter,i just didnt want to leave you waiting. **_

_**Now, enjoy.**_

**Chapter 6. Temptations **

The sounds around her were strange but the smell familiar and only could mean one thing… she was back in the lab, right back where she started.

That woke her up with a start. Her eyes darted every which way and soon she noticed her surroundings were similar to a hospital.

She started to breath. She didn't know for how long she had been holding it. But slowly, started to calm down.

She kept looking around until she felt a cold sensation in her left arm. She tried to jerk away from it but soon discovered she had been tied down to the bed.

Suddenly, the bed started to rise in a reclining position, giving her a better look at her surroundings and herself. She noticed the IV on her left arm and the straps that were holding her down.

One across her chest, another one over her stomach, one over her legs above her knees and one on each arm holding her wrists close to the mattress.

She tried to move again with a bit more force but the strains along with the sedatives were trying to slow her down. Oh yes, she knew what was being poured into her veins without even thinking about it.

"This must be what the right doses for a normal person." she mused to herself. She knew that if she really wanted to get out, she could do so without hesitation , the straps not holding any kind of resistance, but she was curious.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement. Soft but heavy steps were approaching from behind the bed and bringing whoever made them into view.

A towering half man, half machine was standing next to her with what seemed to be a chart on his big hands.

She looked at him with surprise and curiosity. He was built to impress. Howeer, she doubted he would look any different if he were fully human.

What little real skin he had was honey brown along with his human eye that now looked at her with concerned suspicion.

She gave him a flirting grin and run her eyes on him from head to toe once more, settled back on his face and said " Impressive "… with an arched brow.

That brought him up short. A fat drop of sweat fell from his forehead and he felt his cheeks burning from a severe blush rising.

He was used to curious looks and rude stares but no one had ever seen him the way she had. At least not since he became half machine.

But here she was. A beautiful but dangerous girl that seemed to admire his physique like a piece of meat and not with disgust.

But with her it literally had a double meaning. He didn't know if he felt complemented or should feel scared of being torn to pieces.

She smiled a little and tried to move unconsciously but quickly remembered the strains.

That snapped him out of his shock and smiled apologetically while rubbing the back of his neck "um.. Yeah… sorry about that… it was kind of … necessary."

She smiled at him again and said " I'm sure it was. But you know… if you really wanted to… contain me… you might want to double the dosage of the sedatives you're giving me… I can barely feel it." she said, still in a teasing tone but with a dangerous smile.

That sobered him up and said "I am already giving you three times more of what a normal person would get.. Any more and it would…"

"Stop my heart?" she interrupted, still smiling playfully.

"Been there, done that darling. And I can tell you that what you're giving me, is not nearly as much as what I have endured in minimal doses before."

Suddenly, she took a sharp deep breath. Cyborg saw how her blue eyes became like shreds of broken crystals with hints of blue. Then, she turned her head sharply to the door right before it hissed open to show the newcomer.

Cyborg was still surprised at the change of her eyes and looked towards the door.

Raven walked in. hood over her head, darkening her face, walking at a steady pace locking eyes with the girl the moment she entered.

A low hunting growl was heard. "You!" said the girl. Cyborg was getting worried. Not knowing what to do in case they decided to go at it.

Raven stopped next to him. "You were in my head" the girl said with an expression of disgust.

"it was necessary" Raven said in a tense monotone.

"You mean that the near possession of my body was necessary"

"I wasn't trying to possess your body. I was merely curious." said Raven, closing her hands into fists under her cloak and clenching her teeth. Not sure why did she have to explain herself.

The girl scoffed " That's ironic coming from a demon, don't you think?"

Cyborg saw the dark magic encasing some of the most sensitive equipment behind Raven then saw the girl's hands ball into shaking fists, barely containing her anger.

Then, the door hissed open again, distracting the girls from their stare match. For a moment, Cyborg felt relieved for having a distraction but soon banished when he saw who was walking in. It was Beast Boy and Cyborg started to sweat fat drops all over again.

Beast Boy walked in cautiously. Seeing the last tendrils of Raven's magic disappear from the nearby machinery.

His eyes went from Raven to the girl on the bed and gulped loudly when he saw her eyes. She was still pissed, just as before.

"Meliah?" he whispered.

"Hello Garfield. Long time no see." she eyed him from head to toe. Just like she did with Cyborg.

"I must say.. The Beast is… quite impressive."

"You're not mad anymore?" there was a hint of hope in his voice.

"I am, but lets just say you gave me what I asked for and were willing to give me more. That ought to make an angry girl … content."

"content!? Are you out of your mind? I could have killed you…!" Beast Boy said louder that what he intended. "I almost did…" he said with a whisper, head low and eyes closed.

"but you didn't"

"No. Thanks to Raven, your injuries are almost healed."

"So its that why she was in my head?" she asked rising her eyebrows at him. Then, she narrowed her eyes and said " If I remember correctly… my injuries were below my shoulders…" she turned and glared at Raven "then why were you in my mind?"

There was silence for a moment. Just the sounds of the monitors with accelerated beep noises.

Cyborg looked at the panels of his arm and said "Meliah, you need to calm down. The way your heart is racing, you can have a heart attack"

BeastBoy gasped and without thinking took Meliah's right hand in his and squeezed it lightly. She turned to look at him then their hands.

"s-sorry" Beast Boy said lifting his hand from hers. She gave him a smile and turned back to Cyborg.

"Remember what I told you earlier?" Cyborg nodded, looking at her with curiosity.

"Then you might want to do it now. My heart beating like that just means one thing… that I'll have enough adrenaline to break free" she said with a lingering look at the straps then back at him. "And I'm sure no one wants that"

He opened his eye wide in understanding still looking at her "go ahead, my insides feel like they are running a hundred miles per hour".

Cyborg reluctantly complied and doubled the doses of sedatives going thru the iv. The beeping noises of the monitors started to slow down.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking in the soothing sensation on her jittery nervous system. When she re-opened them, they were solid blue again and were staring at Beast Boy.

"Dude! How'd you do that"

"Meliah giggled a little "Don't get used to it Gar, with enhanced senses, instincts going haywire and a demon in the vicinity… the slow pace wont last long".

"What!?" said Raven in surprise.

"I'm sorry, but its true. Your presence is not at all subtle. If you don't believe me, ask Gar".

At that moment, the door hissed open again and Robin and Starfire walked in. well, Robin did, Starfire flew ahead of him and landed next to Beast Boy.

"Who is this Gar that you mentioned?" asked Starfire

"We heard the monitor go crazy. Everything alright?" asked Robin.

"For the moment." Said Meliah. Robin arched an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to introduce us, Beast Boy?"

"Sorry dude. Everyone, this is Meliah…. M, these are my friends, Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and Raven.". Meliah noticed a tiny smile on him when he said Raven's name. Everyone else seemed to have missed it. Even Raven.

Robin gave her a nod, Starfire smiled at her warmly (she did that no matter how dangerous the person she was smiling to was). Cyborg made a peace sign and smiled at her and Raven just glared at her.

Meliah smile with a little malice "Hello everyone. I would shake your hand but…" she looked down at her restrains then to them again "I'm afraid I'm in need of restrain for my earlier outburst"

"Sorry, a necessary measure". Robin said with a tense tone after seeing something shift on her eyes.

Meliah smiled at him, knowing well what he had seen. Robin felt uncomfortable.

Then, Meliah gave Beast Boy the same lust hungry look she had given Cyborg before "BeastBoy?… mmmmm… I would drop the "Boy" part of your name. there is absolutely nothing innocent about you anymore".

Beast Boy turned brown form the furious blush that had taken over him. Cyborg could barely contain his laughter behind Meliah. Robin couldn't help but smile and Starfire giggled.

Meliah sensed a wave of angry heat and she and Beast Boy turned to Raven who's eyes were glowing white. Meliah's eyes had changed to the crystallized blue and Beast boy said "um.. Please don't say those things M" embarrassed beyond reason.

Meliah turned back to Raven suspiciously and said "You ought to calm down and not being so obvious. I only have a sweet disposition for him. I might not hold back with you'

"are you threatening me?" Said Raven in barely contained anger.

"Not at all… just a warning". and she smiled evilly showing her fangs.

\\\\\\\\\


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7. Changes **

"You are in no position to make threats" Raven said with a somewhat controlled anger.

"So it would seem… but I wouldn't hold you to that"

There was tension between the two girls again. Starfire however, tried to lessen the heavy air.

"Meliah? Who is this "Gar" you speak of?"

"That's kind of my real name Star." An embarrassed Beast Boy said.

"Gar… it is a strange name" Mused Starfire before noticing how Cyborg and Robin were trying (without much success) not to laugh.

"Please… have I said something… amusing? Asked Starfire innocently.

"His real name is Garfield, Starfire" Said Raven but at this, Cyborg and Robin lost all control and were laughing their heads off. Raven glared at them and so did Meliah.

"ENOUGH!" Meliah, with crystallized blue eyes and Raven, with glowing red ones said at the same time. That stopped them all cold. The guys had stopped laughing and looked from one girl to the other while the girls glared at each other.

"Apparently we do share some common ground" mused Meliah.

"Apparently" Said Raven in a cold monotone.

A small smile came to Meliah then turned to the alien. "Starfire… isn't?

"That is correct"

"I call him by his real name because that's the only name I know him with." then turned to Beast boy "If I had known that you wanted to keep it a secret, I would have respected that… Beast Boy."

"Thanks M, its ok, you can call me whatever you want."

"Then Garfield it is. There is no such a thing as "boy" that can describe you anymore."

Beast Boy blushed again and Cyborg and Robin started to shake in barely contained laughter. Meliah quirked an eyebrow.

"Please Meliah, ignore them. They can be such a clorgbags. But I can assure you, they mean no harm." Starfire said before turning to admonish her annoying team mates.

Without taking her eyes off of the flying alien, Meliah asked in a low voice " Enlighten me Garfield… what is a… clorg…bag?" She had turned to him with a questioning look. Beast Boy shrugged innocently.

"It can mean immature, but in her language it can also mean much, much more offensive words" Answered Raven in a monotone while she approached slowly.

Meliah however, who's eyes had turned normal for a brief moment, looked at Raven at the same time that her eyes crystallized again. Raven didn't take this kindly.

"What's the matter with you?" Raven frown.

"M, Raven is a friend, you don't have to feel threaten by her." said Beast Boy without thinking. Raven glared at him and for a split second there was hurt in her eyes. She couldn't help but recognize the double meaning of his words.

"Forgive me Raven, nothing personal. But as I said before, your demonic presence is not subtle on my senses, my instincts are telling me there is danger lurking around and so my body reacts"

"Meliah, Raven is not evil, don't call her a demon again" Said Beast Boy almost in an angry voice.

"You sense her in a completely different way, Garfield. In my case, there is not much I can do about it."

"Why are you here Meliah?" Asked Robin, apprehension in his voice.

" Believe it or not, I came to ask for your help, but the lack of my medication, however, made me a bit.. Violent. Allow me to demonstrate."

Robin arched an eyebrow and cross his arms over his chest. But with a swift move of her right hand with sharp claws, she ripped the straps on her body. One by one they gave in until the only thing holding her down was the IV on her left arm.

It happened so quick, no one had time to register what had happened until she was free. Immediately, Robin's hands went to the side of his belt where the freezing discs and bird-a-rangs were in place. Raven had summoned her dark magic around her hands and on seeing this, a reluctant Starfire had gotten her star bolts ready. Beast Boy was too shocked to react and Cyborg was taken by surprise, but instead of getting defensive like the others, he just stared.

"For how long have you been able to do that?" Cyborg asked when finally the information sank in. He then checked the monitors on his arm and confirmed the intake of sedatives still attached to her arm.

"I gave you a double dosage, I thought you said…" he felt silent as too many questions were being formed in his head.

"I've been able to since I woke up. The sedatives calm me down but they don't stop me". She said calmly with a serene expression while she sat on the bed, getting ready to stand up.

Beast Boy finally snapped out of it and jumped over the bed to stand in front of her. "Meliah, I'm right here. don't do anything stupid."

"My dear Garfield, I merely said I wanted to show him something, besides, I've been laying on that bed for too long now. I needed to stretch.".

Meliah looked thru the clothes that had not been torn. Luckily, the hidden pocket was still intact and pulled what she was looking for. It was a small pouch to which she emptied on the bed still not able to move her other arm much. Then took a few pieces of what seemed to be almost crushed pills.

Then looked around looking for water but Starfire had already beat her to it as she was coming back flying with a glass of water. Meliah took the glass with a smile and thanked the alien then popped the pills in her mouth and finished entirely the contents of the glass.

The changes were somewhat subtle. Her eyes turn solid blue again, her expression wasn't wild and defensive but soft and friendly but most of all, her scars deepened and were now three barely pink strikes across the right side of her face.

Everybody gasped. She smiled shyly and turned to Cyborg "Would you mind taking this off? I promise I don't need it anymore." She said sweetly.

He noticed no trace of the wild, lustful girl that had flirted with him earlier. He took off the IV and she smiled and thanked him then turned to Beats boy who had been standing in front of her the entire time. He looked at her as if it was for the first time.

Her scars had brought all the memories in a rush. Her sweet, innocent smile. Her so honest eyes, reminded him that every time he looked into those eyes, is like he could see right thru her. And there she was, his dear friend. His sweet Meliah.

And he hugged her fiercely. A Starfire style bone crushing hug. He buried his face on her neck and cried silently on her shoulder. He hadn't noticed she was a few inches shorter than him now.

"I'm so sorry Gar. I'm sorry for yelling at you and pushing you. I'm sorry for treating you like that when all I wanted was to tell you was how much I've missed you and how glad I am that you're alive."

" No, don't be. You had every right to do that and more. Please forgive me M. forgive me for not coming back for you. I'm sorry baby girl".

He then let go and took her face in his hands and softly, very delicately, placed a kiss on each of the scar across her face. Meliah had no words. It was just like when she first came out of the hospital without the bandages on her face. Garfield had been waiting outside until she came out. He was so remorseful at what he had done. And without a word, he took her face and very gently placed a kiss on each scar as if hoping that that would make them go away.

She had never been scared or mad at him. Not then, not now. She pushed him back gently and said with a weak smile and tears in her eyes "Its been a long time since I was a baby. You don't need to do that anymore".

"I don't care if you're 80, ill still do it no matter what."

He was still holding her as if for dear life, with his forehead against hers. Enjoying her presence, her scent… her very existence.

The others had gathered silently on the other side of the room.

"She seems like a complete different person". Commented Cyborg.

"What was that she took.. It changed her completely" asked Robin, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at the girl.

" What do we do now?" Asked a confused Starfire.

"We need to find out more about her" And with that resolution, Robin walked slowly towards the couple still embracing each other and cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Beast Boy, I'm afraid we have to take her to the holding cell for tonight. We'll discuss this whole situation tomorrow after everyone's rested".

"Dude! She's not going to the holding cell, she's not a prisoner!. Beast Boy said closing his hands into fists and putting himself between Robin and Meliah.

"She attacked you Beast Boy, she's a threat." Beast Boy growled and Meliah felt him stiffen in front of her. Then very gently, she placed her hand on his shoulder and softly, she said " Gar, its ok. He's right, I did attack you. I don't mind spending the night in the holding cell if he thinks is necessary"

"No Meliah. I will not allow him or anybody treat you like some criminal" he said glaring at everybody.

Meliah walked in front of him and placed her hand on his cheek "Thank you Gar, but I know they don't trust me around you… at least not yet". she said glancing at Raven for a split second.

" But…" Beast Boy tried to say something but Meliah stopped him with her index finger gently on his lips. Raven didn't like this.

"Don't worry. Besides, you and your friends need to rest… so do I and tomorrow we'll talk… I promise".

Even though he was still upset, she felt him relax a little then she turned to the others. "Robin… I'm ready.. Lead the way".

They got out of the med bay down the corridor towards the elevator. "friend Robin? Is it really necessary? She has already apologized to friend Beast boy for her previous behavior".

"I know Star, but I don't want to take any risks. As incredible as her change seems, it just.. Odd"

"You.. Do not believe her?"

"I'm not sure"

Robin talked quietly to the alien while walking ahead of the group.

Raven however hadn't said a word. Her expression as stoic as ever. But as discreet as she wanted to appear, her behavior had not gone unnoticed.

"Raven, are you alright?" asked Cyborg standing next to her, both watching the group walk down the hallway. Raven watching how Beast Boy held the girl.

"I don't trust her" she said then turned to the her team mate "what is it that she took?"

Cyborg walked over to the bed where the girl had emptied the small pouch and after closer inspection, found a few tiny pieces of the crushed pills.

"Not sure Rae, but I have a hunch. I'll send this for analysis first thing tomorrow"

"What are you thinking?"

"Can't tell you yet 'till I'm sure. But might not be good news… C'mon, we need to catch up with them before they notice"

Cyborg placed the tiny piece of the pill in a vial and put it in a locked compartment on the console then left with the sorceress towards their friends.

The elevator door opened showing the short hallway to the holding cell. Beats Boy was carrying Meliah on his arms bridal style.

He had seen her wince out of the corner of his eye when she started to walk. At first she managed to walk normally, but after a few minutes, she started to limp slightly.

She had tried to hide it, even said she was fine when Beast boy asked if she was ok, but she couldn't handle the exercise anymore and so he lifted her in his arms against her complains and carry her all the way.

That's when he noticed how thin she really was. He could feel her ribs under his fingers and she didn't weight as much as she should. He wondered how she had managed to stand the attacks of the Beast for so long.

They made a stop in the kitchen to get her some food and water. " Left over pizza and some fruit for later" he had said to her with a smile. The others had not said anything. Then they were on their way again.

When they got to the holding cell room he didn't want to let go at first, but complied after Starfire reasoned that if he held her like that she wouldn't be able to rest properly. That made him sigh deeply and set her in the small bed. He was kneeling in front of her when he voiced that he wanted to stay with her.

Robin tried to refuse but after Starfire put a hand gently on his shoulder, he gave in, but with the condition that he must remain outside of the force field that surrounded the bed, in case of any emergency otherwise he would not be able to morph.

Starfire smiled at Beast Boy from behind Robin. Beast Boy nodded at them both and turned to the girl. He placed a kiss on each scar once more and exited the cell. Watching sadly how the force field closed behind him

He thought to himself that she really looked exhausted as if she was ready to pass out. She laid down, never looking away from him, gave him a content smile and closed her eyes. She was fast sleep in seconds.

Beast Boy then, turned into a St Bernard, curled up on the floor and closed his own eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8. Unwanted call.**

Cyborg and Raven entered the holding cell door a few minutes later. Raven watched the scene before them and a pang of jealousy tried to make its way in but she dismissed it. Starfire noticed her uneasiness. "Come friends, let us go rest. There is nothing else we can do at the moment" Starfire said in a hushed tone and pushed everyone out of the room.

Once outside, after the door closed Cyborg turned to Robin "Hey Rob, I need to tell you guys something"

"Lets go to the common room" Said Robin then turned to Raven when noticed she had stayed behind. "Hey Raven you coming?"

She said nothing, just stared at the floor lost in thought. Her shoulders slumped, looking more tired by the minute.

"We'll meet you there" Robin said to the others who had already reached the elevator. He walked up to Raven and after a moment of no change, he put a finger under her chin to get her to look at him. She frowned a little at this but didn't pull away.

"What's the matter?" He asked softly.

"What's the matter with you?" she snapped "I'm not the one in love with you. I don't need you to console me"

"I know I'm not the one you're in love with Raven, that doesn't mean I'm not here for you."

"I don't need your pity, Robin. I need answers". She said thr gritted teeth.

"We all do Raven but sulking in a corner wont help matters". he said as he grabbed her by her shoulders. "As soon as we are done meeting with Cyborg I want you to go and rest. You're exhausted from all the magic you've used today and I need you with a clear head and your strength back up. When that's taken care of, come to my office. I need you to go over everything you found in her mind."

Raven sighed and looked away from him. "That wont explain why he trusts her so much, even after she attacked him. He hasn't seen her in over ten years, for all we know, she could be planning her revenge on him."

"For that same reason we need to gather all the information we can find so we can protect our friend".

"Ok" was all she said. He smiled at her and pulled her into a tight hug and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Come, let go find out what Cyborg has in mind."

Back in the common room, Starfire paced around the room, one arm across her mid section, her other hand on her chin biting her nails every now and then.

"Star, why are you so worried about?" Asked Cyborg not able to watch her worried expression any longer.

She stopped on her tracks and looked at him then flew to his side. "I understand they are close friends but that doesn't help me when I feel the jealousy. Their level of intimacy is far greater than what I have achieved so far and I am yet to tell him about my feelings for him."

"I know Star, but it doesn't mean he doesn't love you. She's like a sister to him and no matter how powerful she is, he will always try to protect her and right now she's going thru a rough moment."

The hiss of the door opening got their attention. Robin walked in first then Raven. "Ok Cy, what have you found out.?"

"I already sent the samples of the pills Meliah took to my dad's lab. I am running on a hunch so we have to wait for the results. Either way, I have set up a conference call for later today with him. We still have a few hours before that, so I suggest we get some sleep."

"What about Beast Boy, should we tell him about the conference call?" asked Raven.

"We probably should. With the sedatives still in her system along with the pills she took. She'll be out cold for at least 24 hours."

They all agreed and left to their respective rooms.

Exhaustion brought sleep easy for Raven but after a couple of hours, she woke up with a start in cold sweat. Images of Meliah's memories flashed in her mind. She looked around. Her room still somewhat dark. Looked at the time and realized it was still early for the conference call.

So she decided to get up and get some tea and some food for Beast Boy. A few minutes later, she appeared thru the floor next to him. He was still in the St Bernard's form curled up by the holding cell. Meliah in deep sleep induced by the sedatives.

She placed the tray on the floor and kneeled down next to the green dog. She pet him softly and rubbed his ears. Sighed and opened a portal on the floor ready to get back to her room when a hand on her arm stopped her.

Beast Boy had woken up and was back in his human form. Raven closed the portal and remained sitting on the floor in front of him.

He smiled at her and rubbed his eyes " Hey" still groggy from sleep.

"Hey yourself. How did you sleep?"

"I was really tired, it didn't take me long to fall sleep. You?"

"I managed a couple of hours."

Then he looked at the tray next to him and said "Aw you brought me breakfast, thanks Rae. .. Will you eat with me?" he asked pushing the tray towards her after he grabbed a piece of fruit.

"I had some tea, but I guess I can take a piece of fruit." She said with a small smile. He smiled broadly in between bites.

After a few minutes, Raven broke the silence.

"Can I ask you something?"

"mmm… anything!" he said after he had swallowed.

"Meliah said she could sense my demonic side, and if I didn't believe her I could ask you… is it true?"

"Yes and no. the animal instincts allows us to sense the presence of anybody around us. Animals are more aware of their surroundings. It serves as a survival tool. They are also more sensitive to supernatural presence"

"So, she's right? My demonic presence gives me away. Why did you never told me that? And why did she say you sense me in a complete different way?" she said with some concern on her expression.

"First of all, you know I don't think you're evil and I would never consider you a demon. But it was the first time she was around you."

"But you never reacted like that when we first met. Why did she?"

"Also an animal thing" He said somewhat embarrassed. "Take lionesses for example. The females are drawn to the male even if he's a stranger in the pack. But if it is another female lurking around, they see each other as rivals".

"So she sees me as the enemy".

"Something like that" He said before taking a sip of his orange juice.

After a moment of silence, she asked "What did you think of me when we first met?" She tried to hide a blush from asking such a personal question.

He thought for a moment, as if not sure what to answer. Then in a low voice he said "It was overwhelming… but I thought you were the most beautiful girl I had ever met".

She was blushing tremendously now but couldn't look away. His eyes were so intense on hers.

Slowly, he came closer and had barely brushed his lips on hers when her communicator went off. They pulled apart with a start.

"WHAT!?" She said with barely contained annoyance.

"Sorry if I woke you up, but I thought that maybe you can come to my office now. The conference call is in one hour so we have time to go over what you saw. And bring Beast Boy with you".

She felt a little panic run on her spine, as if caught doing something wrong. But before anything would show she said " Give me a few minutes, we'll be right there. Raven out."

"What conference call?" Beast boy asked after he saw her close her communicator.

"Cyborg sent a sample of the pills Meliah took to his dad's lab and set up a conference call with him to go over the results. Apparently, he knows something we don't".

"Why are you meeting Robin?"

"He wants to know in detail what I saw in her mind and I guess he thinks you should be there too".

"I don't want to leave her alone. I want to be here when she wakes up".

"I know, but she'll be ok. Cyborg calculated that she'll be out for the great part of 24 hours thanks to the sedatives that are still in her system." Beast Boy gave her a curious look, so she continued "He thinks the pills she took acted like an inhibitor that slows down her metabolism. She wont be able to burn the sedatives as fast as before. At least until whatever she took is out of her system".

He looked back at the sleeping girl then at Raven. Sighed and said "Ok". then got up, offered her his hand to help her stand up. When she did however, he didn't let go of her hand, instead, he pulled her closer.

"Don't think our conversation is over yet, Rae" He said softly and placed a kiss on her hand. She smiled and blushed again. She managed to get a steady hand on his cheek and pecked him on the lips "I was hoping it wasn't over… come, Robin is waiting for us".

And with that, she opened a portal and both walked in it still holding hands. Robin watched them on the screen, smiled and said to himself "I knew it!"

He hadn't meant to spy on them, but while he was talking to Raven on her communicator, he decided to take a look in the holding cell room to check on Beast Boy. But when he saw Raven sitting on the floor next to his green team mate, he soon realized why she had snapped at him when she first answered.

But then he couldn't look away and saw her give the changeling a kiss and disappear on the portal. He turned off the monitor with a smile and thought to himself "I better not let them know I was spying on them and she'll have my head"

A few seconds later there was knock on his door, when he opened it, he quickly noticed they were still holding hands but pretended he didn't see.

"Come in" He told them and motioned for them to take a sit. They let go of each other's hands hoping their leader hadn't notice them yet.

Robin leaned against his desk, cross his arms over his chest and started the questioning.

"Ok Raven, what exactly did you see?"

"They were bits and pieces of painful memories. But what I could gather is that she was being tortured."

"Who did that to her?" Asked Beast Boy. Raven could feel his anger rising.

"I don't know, but the background seemed the same… some kind of lab. There were other noises too. Machines beeping, chains, screams… I also heard thunder right before she woke up. Like a storm approaching. The wind picked up and the water was rising".

"Were they trying to drown her?" asked Robin.

"No. more like mixed memories of when she was on the boat. The storm was the same" she turned to Beast Boy "I managed to tell her we could help" He gave her a small smile.

"Were those recent memories?" Robin asked rubbing his chin in sign of deep thinking.

"Hard to tell. There was no timeline. Not a way to tell how old she was when that happened".

There was silence for a few minutes.

"That could explain her aggressive behavior. I can tell she's not used to the proximity of other people in a friendly environment "

"But she warmed up to me and Starfire soon enough" Commented Beast Boy

"Maybe that was because she already knew you … Starfire, I'm guessing she posed no threat. But with everyone else, she was defensive".

"You call flirting "defensive"?" asked Raven with an arched eyebrow.

"In a way it is. If she's been in the kind of torture you saw then whatever small bit of control she can get can make her feel like she's no longer the victim".

While they pondered on that, Robin's communicator went off. He flipped it open and showed Cyborg on the screen.

"Alright y'all, the conference call will start in ten minutes, so you better head to the common room. My dad also said that Batman will be joining us in the call"

"Batman? How come?" Asked Beast Boy.

"Apparently he knows more about this case than what he let on. Cyborg out".

Back in the common room, Cyborg was setting the monitors and showed his dad on one of the screens.

"Victor, my boy. How are you son?"

"Hey pop, I'm alright. You?"

Dr Stone was about to answer when he saw Starfire flying and landing next to his son.

"My, my… is always fascinating to see how a human being can fly without the aid of wings or mechanical instruments. You must be Starfire, am I right?"

Starfire smiled, she could see the resemblance between father and son. "That is correct. But where I come from all Tamareneans can fly. I'm what humans call an alien".

"You are indeed, my dear. Very pleased to meet you"

Then a black hole appeared behind Cyborg and Starfire where Robin, Beast Boy and Raven came out of.

"Fascinating… teleportation without instruments. You must be Miss raven"

Dr Stone asked with some excitement in his voice. Raven pulled her hood down and with a stoic expression she simply said "Yes"

"I must say Victor, your friends are very beautiful and unique. I am very pleased to finally meet you ladies"

"The pleasure is ours sir" Said Starfire flying up in front of the screen.

"What she said" said Raven in her monotone.

"I think you remember Robin and Beast Boy, dad"

"Dr Stone?" Acknowledged Robin with a nod.

"Sup doc" said Beast Boy.

"Of course I do. Gentlemen, I'm glad you could join us. Now we just need…" But he was cut mid sentence when Batman appeared on another screen.

"Titans? Dr Stone? Lets proceed."

"Of course" said Dr Stone, fixed his glasses and picked up a paper from the desk "The sample you sent me is from a very complex compound that was in trial use a few years ago. But this one however has been fully developed. How did you get it?"

"An old friend of BB's showed up yesterday and after a claws and tooth fight, she was rational enough to remember to take it. The change was incredible. Now she's a completely different person." answered Cyborg.

"I would expect it so. This is a very powerful inhibitor. It was created to be used in extreme cases like your friend's. How did this happened, I am not sure". Robin saw the reluctance on the scientist and Batman noticed Robin's expression.

"It's ok Dr Stone. Go ahead and tell them."

The Doctor sighed. "A few years ago, a colleague of mine presented to the board the prospect of a new serum that had the capabilities of slowing down the metabolism on meta-humans. Of course this came to great shock and even insult to some of the members of the board and after she was flat out denied the funding of the research, she had no choice but to reveal her reasons. Her daughter had come in contact with a serum already infected with some kind of altered DNA and the result was a shape shifting ability that she couldn't control. Specially when upset."

"But someone had been tracking the development and kidnap the mother" continued Batman. "I was able to find Dr Simmons, but by the time I realized it had been a set up it was too late. Their main target had been the girl all along."

"When the girl was found it was in a poor state of mind. So much so that she was being sent to Arkham Asylum for treatment. But she escaped. I tracked her down and managed to get her to take the pills" said Batman

"She's very resourceful. "hard to kill" as they say but of course I never tried. She did present to be a challenge."

"Why had she been traveling like that. Was she running away?" asked Robin.

"Hard to tell. Last time I saw her was a year ago. The sightings of the last few months is the most recent contact I've had with her". Said Batman while transferring a map that looked like the one they had first seen two days ago when they found out about the Phantom.

"We got the news of a power warehouse that had been burned down around this area" Batman said highlighting on the screen the area in question.

"That's one of the main power supplies in Gotham. Why did we never heard of this?" asked Robin

"Because it was considered internal affairs by the company that owned it, but under closer inspection I found it had been used for far more darker purposes to which I'm afraid your friend was victim of, Beast Boy".

Then Batman turned to Beast Boy who was looking at the floor lost in thought. "Beast Boy, I need you to get her to talk. This entire situation has gone out of control"

Beast Boy looked at Batman for the first time "How much out of control can it be, she's in a terrible state.. I don't want to put her thru hell by remembering all that"

"Because I believe she was looking for her mother'' Answered the Dark knight.

"Her mother? What happened to her?" Beast Boy asked more agitated.

" She was kidnapped again but this time for revenge for what your friend Meliah did to the warehouse".

"She destroyed the power plant?" asked Cyborg

"Yes. No casualties, but I'm under the belief she wasn't alone. So again Beast Boy, I need you to make her talk" He left no room for questions.

"I'll do my best" was all Beast boy said.

"What about her condition, once the effect of the pills wears off, her temper will flare again and make it impossible to reason with her" Said Raven

"For that dear Miss Raven do not worry about. I already have a batch of her medication on the way to the Tower, it should arrive this afternoon". said Dr Stone with a soft smile.

"Beast Boy, one more thing…"

Beast Boy turned when Batman called him again. "Yes?"

"I'm afraid I have no good news about her mother. Her body was found a week ago in the outskirts of the city."

Starfire gasped, so did Raven who turned to look at Beast Boy. He had closed his eyes and fell to his knees.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9. Ilusions and Nightmares**

Beast Boy had closed his eyes and fell to his knees.

"How am I going to tell her?" He asked to himself. He felt a hand on his left shoulder and another holding his right hand. It was Raven and Starfire respectively.

"You wont have to… I will" Said Batman.

"But I thought you said…"

"That's not what I want you to talk to her about. I want you to find out who was with her when the power plant was destroyed".

"She came alone and even after the beating the Beast gave her, no one came to her aid, so why would that person be relevant right now?" Asked Cyborg.

"Because whoever helped her also pointed her the way to you. If she had been aware of where to find Beast Boy, she would have come to you sooner".

After a few seconds of silence, Dr Stone cleared his throat slightly and said "Batman, if I may…"

"Yes, Dr Stone"

"Would it be wise to tell miss Simmons about the fate of her mother and risk an outburst that perhaps the Titans are unprepared to handle?"

"Already thought of that Dr Stone… Cyborg… the chamber you built to protect Raven from her father a few years ago is still operable, correct?"

"Way ahead of you Bats" Cyborg said while typing furiously on the console's keyboard. Batman had narrowed his eyes and looked at Robin with an arched eyebrow and mouthed "Bats?"

Robin could only purse his lips to contain a smile, Starfire muffled a giggle, Raven had closed her eyes and moved his head from side to side in disbelief and Dr Stone tried to hide a smile that quickly disappeared when Batman frowned at him. Only Beast Boy was too deep in thought to notice.

"The chamber is up and running as we speak" Cyborg continued with a smile, unaware of the effect his choice of words had on the Dark Knight.

"Pure titanium Alloy, pre-barricaded surface from top to bottom and airtight sealed. Nothing goes in or out within the timer" He continued proudly of his craftsmanship.

"Very well, bring her now to the chamber. The sooner we get this over with, the better".

"But she's still passed out from the sedatives" said Beast Boy.

"Not according to your video surveillance" Said Batman while a small screen from the bottom of the monitor was enlarged and showed the live video of the holding cell room.

Beast Boy got to his feet and ready to exit the room. "Beast Boy, wait!" Called out Robin.

"I cant wait here Robin. She cant go thru this alone"

"B, just give me a few minutes to set the timer and…" said Cyborg

"You'll have plenty of time to do that while I get there tin man" Beast Boy said and took off.

Cyborg turned quickly to the computer and activated the timer on the chamber then run out of the common room with Robin. Starfire was already flying ahead and Raven had phased thru the floor.

"Suddenly I feel so antiquated" Dr Stone said to himself. Batman heard him and almost felt the urge to smile… almost.

!

Meliah was fully awake now. In fact, she had been awake for quite some time since Raven came to check on Garfield. She had sensed the sorceress's presence the moment her portal started to form.

She saw thru hooded eyes everything that had happened and heard the entire conversation, also found out about the conference call. But what had her replaying the entire scene over and over, was the kiss Garfield and Raven had almost shared.

The whole thing had been innocent, yet intimate. She had watched with sad curiosity everyone of their moves. She was intrigued how a powerful demoness that had been able to, not only heal her wounds but enter her mind, and yet… she was painfully shy around Garfield.

Oh, she had noticed the signs back in the med bay, even at the beach. How they had tried to protect each other.

She had wondered while they ate what would it feel like to share feelings with someone so caring and gentle, not mentioning handsome, like Garfield.

She had noticed him in that wretched animal state of hers. Even boldly called him out on it… ha! It had been so particularly endearing, even alluring, to watch him blush at the complement.

She had silently held her breath when they were about to kiss, even expectant. Never has she experienced such a simple yet intimate action. Not even held hands with anybody for she had never been around people her age or even real people at all.

She wasn't sure if she felt happy for Garfield or jealous of the demoness. Then heard the conversation about the conference call and then they had left her alone again. "So Batman will be there…" she thought to herself, but decided to think of something more pleasant.

She thought about the way he had held her. So close to him. How he had carried her with strong arms and gentle hands. He had kissed the scars on her face in such a way that she wished for him to really kiss her. She had closed her eyes, discreetly breathed in his scent and lost herself in it for a moment.

And when he had insisted on carry her all the way to the holding cell, her heart skipped at beat because she had another excuse to put her arms around him again. She knew Raven had noticed this and somehow Meliah had felt guilty about it.

An errant thought crossed her mind " Why wonder, when we can have him for ourselves?" Meliah closed her eyes at that. "It wouldn't be right or fair" she said softly to herself.

"Life hasn't been right or fair for us, why should hers?" the malicious voice said in her head.

"And to think that's my voice" she mused to herself in disbelief and rolled her eyes at the flirting familiar voice.

"You keep denying yourself what you've been craving all this time" the voice said tentatively.

"I don't even know what I crave, how can you?"

"Oh, but you DO know"

"Oh yeah? And according to you, what would that be?"

"Him, of course. He's such an specimen and those hands and lips of his hold the promise to be capable of wonders"

"Ha! That's Garfield you're talking about. My childhood friend. The one that could almost be my brother"

"Almost… but he's not. And he's all grown up and ours for the taking"

"He's not "ours", if you haven't noticed" she scoffed to herself.

"What I've noticed is that he's single with a lingering crush on a demoness that doesn't have the guts to tell him how she feels"

"And.. You do…of course?"

"Not Me… We.. I am you, remember?"

"How can I forget? You remind me every day"

"Only because you try to shot me down like a disease"

"You might as well be. No normal person talks to herself and actually gets an answer or get into a real conversation and… arg! What am I doing? I'm going insane!…" Meliah grabbed her head and sat on the bed, still talking softly to herself.

"You're not insane. You would have if I hadn't pushed my way out all those years ago and saved our lives… Meliah, you were too far gone with almost no spirit left for all of what those bastards did to us. We had already hit bottom. We had no other way but up and out". The voice in her head said, no malicious tone anymore. But serious, like her own.

With somewhat sadness, Meliah sat straight and softly said "I guess I was so far gone that that gave you the strength to be your own person"

"You are my own person Meliah, because I am you. We have always had only ourselves to depend upon. But the prospect that we might not have to do so anymore is right here. Why not take advantage of the opportunity?"

Meliah looked around the small cell while listening to her inner self trying to get some sense into her. Her eyes fell upon the plate covered with a napkin on a night table. She smiled, despite herself, at Garfield's gesture. Then leaned in, took a slice and sighed while taking a bite of the cold pizza.

"Just pretend that you don't talk and leave me to my own thoughts, ok? And let ME pretend I'm alone" She said softly. "as you wish" her inner voice said. Meliah closed her eyes and saw in the clouded horizon of her mind, the crystallized blue eyes, close.

!

The door hissed open and Meliah opened her eyes and saw an agitated Garfield almost running in. "Garfield!" she said with a smile.

"Hey M. Sorry… I wasn't here …when you woke up… but…" Beast Boy started to say between breaths.

"Its ok Gar. I know you had a conference call to attend to. Don't worry"

He looked puzzled "How do you know about the conference call?"

She giggled "Raven woke me up when she answered her communicator and heard Robin talk''

"ow..uh… did you… see… anything?" he asked embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Was there anything to see?" She smiled at his blush and looked at his left side. At that moment Raven walked out of her portal.

"Hello Raven" the girl said but got no answer as the alien princess zoomed in the room with the door barely opened and landed next to Garfield followed closely by Robin and Cyborg.

Meliah got up and looked at each of their faces. Garfield's was the saddest.

"Gar, what's going on"

Garfield looked at Robin who was by the panel and opened the force field to let the changeling in.

Garfield walked in, hugged her tightly then kissed her scars one by one. Held her hands and lead her outside of the holding cell. She looked around suspiciously. "Gar, please say something, you're scaring me" she said softly to him.

"M, there is something you need to know" Garfield whispered.

At that moment, a giant screen behind Meliah turned on. She noticed the light coming from behind and turned slowly. On one half was Batman, on the other was Dr Stone. She smiled at the doctor.

"Dr Stone, how wonderful to see you again"

"Hello child, how are you?"

"Honestly?, the best I've ever been"

The doctor had a somber expression "I'm glad my dear" . Then Meliah turned to Batman. "Batman? I assume you will tell me what's going on"

"I'm afraid I don't have good news…" he noticed she took a sharp breath and grabbed Beast Boy for support. She looked expectant. "The authorities found your mother's body on the outskirts of Gotham"

Beast Boy felt her stiffen, she was backing up against him and unconsciously stabbing him with her claws. She was turning pale, her eyes open as wide as humanly possible. Beast Boy tried to hug her, turned her around to face him and saw her expression "M, breath… for God's sake.. Breath!"

She started to breath in spasms. She wasn't looking at him or anybody. Just trying to find some kind of way to wake up from the living nightmare. She was trying to get away from Beast Boy but Cyborg came next to him and with his big arm held her tightly. She closed her eyes. Beast Boy noticed her hands trembling. Cyborg felt her entire body shake. "Guys.. Be ready…" Cyborg yelled over his shoulder.

Meliah had managed to whisper "When" When no answer came, she turned to the screen "WHEN!" "Over a week ago" Batman answered. Cyborg noticed her eyes and the effect they had. As tears were running down her cheeks, her eyes crystallized as if draining of all color.

She started to fight her way out of Cyborg's tight embrace but as that didn't work, she turned into a cheetah, growling with bared teeth inches from his face. He let her go only to yell "NOW!" and managed to grab her again, but she scratched the skin of his arms then big green hairy arms of gorilla grabbed her and with mighty strength, pushed her into the chamber, slamming the console on his way in. The doors closed behind the two changelings.

"NOOO BEAST BOY!" Raven yelled. Then turned to the screen with glowing red eyes and yelled, at the Dark Knight "COULDN'T YOU HAVE A LITTLE MORE TACT? YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST SHOW HER PICTURES OF THE CRIME SCENE!" She said and started to summon her dark magic but nothing happened.

Again, she chanted her mantra and tried to open a portal to phase thru the thick door but found no way in, when she turned to Cyborg, her eyes still glowing red, he said "Sorry Rae, remember I designed the chamber to protect you. It counteracts Trigon's powers" He said in a haste.

She landed in front of the doors, her eyes no longer glowing. She could hear the bangs and thuds on the other side. Then turned to Cyborg "What have we done?" she asked in a whisper as tears run down her cheeks.

!

Thank you for the few of you that have given me your support and encouraging words along this story. I'm enjoying myself writting it and I hope you're enjoying yourselves as much while reading it. please review.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10. Revelations **

Beast Boy had turned into a Gorilla and as gently as he could in that form, had shoved Meliah into the chamber to protect her and the others from her. He barely heard the heavy doors hiss closed with a muffled echo around the chamber. Once inside, he let her go and she turned back into her wild human form. She had been struggling to free herself all the while.

"LET ME GO GARFIELD! I'LL KILL THE BASTARDS MYSELF" she yelled, rage and agony taking a hold of her in the frustration of being trapped once more when all she wanted to do was to get revenge.

"KILLING THEM WONT BRING YOUR MOM BACK, M… YOU'LL ONLY COMPLICATE YOUR LIFE…" He tried to reason but his words made her stop wide eyed.

"Complicate my LIFE!?" She asked in disbelief "HAVE YOU NOT NOTICED HOW SCREWED UP I AM ALREADY?… I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THAT AS LONG AS THEY PAY FOR WHAT THEY DID!" She was shaking from rage, every word she yelled sipping with pain and frustration and from that she turned into a rhino and slammed head on the thick doors.

Beast Boy cringed at the thud, imagining the pain she was causing herself without remorse in the attempt to get out. A buffalo, an elephant, even a T-Rex were having the same result. Not a single scratch on the doors.

"MELIAH, LET US HELP YOU… LET ME HELP YOU BUT PLEASE CALM DOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO HURT YOURSELF" He yelled trying to get her attention but she wasn't listening to reason.

From within she felt crumbling, felt her chest constrict and decided not to break in desperation. The rumble of a growl could be heard and she turned into a lioness and roared with all her might, then turned to Garfield who was trying slowly to approach her.

She lower herself growling predatorily, wild crystallized eyes looking intently at him. Flexing her muscles, baring fangs and sharp teeth ready to pounce at her pray. Paws stretching and claws showing, scratching the metal floor.

Beast Boy went wide eyed at the realization that she'll attack any second now. He lifted his hands in defense and said " M, I know you're in pain and I understand but this wont solve anything"

She hissed, roared again and pounced. Beast Boy jumped to the side and had turned into a gorilla before he touched the ground again and turned her way just in time to evade a Rhino that had charged his way. Then she turned into a lioness again and pounced at him once more. Beast Boy just catch the jungle cat in mid air and both tumble on the ground hard and slammed on the nearby wall.

She had turned human again and was shaking between sobs. He was also in his human form and held her there while she cried against his chest.

In the main time, the others had gone to the control room above the chamber and thru the thick glass and metal, they had witnessed how the upset girl had turned into every other animal to slam herself head on the doors. Raven had tried her magic again with the same result as before.

"Cyborg! OPEN THE DAMNED DOOR!"

"I cant Raven, is under the timer"

"SO OVERWRITE IT! YOU BUILT IT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WAY AROUND IT"

"THERE IS, BUT IT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN WHAT THE TIMER IS SET FOR!" Cyborg had said exasperated, he had been at the keyboard trying to bypass the wretched timer.

"And how long is that?" Raven asked in an angry lower tone, eyes glowing red. Cyborg hesitated for a moment, not taking his eyes off the screen "Four hours" He finally said.

"WHAT!? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?"

"Raven, I had no idea BB would jump in with her". Then, the sudden silence caught her attention. There was no more banging on the door, instead, she watched at the wild cat pounce at the green gorilla. She caught her breath in fear and watched as they tumble on the floor and slammed against the wall. She watched as they turned human once more, he held her tightly while she cried against his chest.

…

Back in the chamber, a trembling Meliah had been quiet for a while, her crying and sobs had subsided. For a moment, Beast Boy thought she had fallen asleep but she sighed deeply and started to talk.

"It was my fault" She simply said.

"what?" He asked, not sure he had heard right.

" It was all my fault" she said devoid of all emotion.

"M, what are you talking about?"

"If I hadn't lost control. If I had held on to what little sanity I still had, she would be alive now". She whispered the last few words. "They told me you know. They said they had already killed her. They tried to manipulate me in making me believe I had nothing else to loose. They knew I had let myself get caught in order to find them.. But I didn't believe them…" She said with a shaky voice. Garfield just hugged her more.

"There was no way for you to know…" He started to say but she interrupted him as if he hadn't said a word, so he let her vent.

"They used that same trick years ago and that's how they caught me the first time. I believed them… I spent years in desolation, in pain, with no flicker of hope and no point to live. Oh, but they tried their best and worse to find out about my shape shifting. And from within, when I had no more reason to breath, something snapped in me. I felt like being carried and dragged by fury and rage but not on my own will. And then… Batman found me. I was in a deprived, wild state.… his first words to me were that my mother was alive, I attacked him with all my fury" she laughed sadly and took a shaky deep breath.

"I called him a liar, "how dare you mess with mother's memory?" I had said, but he was saying the truth, she was alive. Somewhere inside I felt relief but I was too far gone into my wild side that I couldn't completely comprehend nothing beyond the fact that I was free…"

She paused and sat down straight in front of Beast Boy. He saw her eyes blue again in a red background due to her crying. Pale and dehydrated. She look away from his eyes, self conscious of his scrutiny and moved next to him, leaned against the wall and continued.

"When I was in better control of myself, he told me that before I got back with my mother, that I would have to get some help first. He let male nurses of some loony hospital take me in an ambulance, but the hospital smell just reminded me the ordeal I had just been in, memories just rushed back in and I started to get anxious. When the nurses tried to contain me, all hell broke loose. I turned into a gorilla and started to throw the nurses around the ambulance. The movement made the driver loose control of the vehicle and run off the road and tumbled a couple of times. I was disoriented but alert enough to get out and run away from there" .

She paused, taking in deep breaths, the memories were too much. Beast Boy was silent all the while. He grabbed her hand and without looking away from the ceiling, she squeezed his hand a little more.

"What happened next?" Garfield asked quietly.

"I didn't really go far. In fact, I followed him. I figured, he was the only one that knew where my mother was, so I followed him to a cave, deep within a mountain"

Garfield couldn't help but gasp in surprise "you've been in the Bat Cave? But that's like a fortress, there is no walking around without Batman knowing about it" He stopped only to realized he had interrupted her "I'm sorry.. Please continue". she chuckled a little, but never stopped looking at the ceiling.

" The name is right, the entire ceiling of the cave is plagued with bats of all kinds and sizes. I went in the same way they did. I perched myself up there for what it seemed an eternity. Finally I saw him arrive, get off the car and walked to a huge computer. He spent hours there. I was tired and hanging upside down made, it worse. Then, an older gentleman showed up with a tray of food, left it on a table and walked away. Batman caught up with the gentleman and left entirely. I was so famished that I didn't wait long and dropped to the ground close to the table and took a couple of sandwiches. I didn't even chewed them, I just swallowed for fear they might return. Started to bite an apple when I heard a door opening. I dropped it and flew back up the ceiling."

"It was the older gentleman who had come back for the abandoned tray. You should have seen his face… surprised at first then he frown. He cleaned up and left. He came back later on with a tray again. I waited to see if the Batman would show up but he didn't. instead, I found a robe folded neatly on the chair."

"They knew you were there'' Garfield said.

"Yes. There was a note on the tray. It said "please don't be afraid, cover yourself and eat""

"What did you do?"

"I sat there like an idiot, reading the note over and over. I couldn't believe he was being nice to me. No one had ever been nice to me for a while. It was strange"

"Oh, M…" He started to say, a knot on his throat. He couldn't believe in how much pain she had been. She slowly turned to look at him. She let go of his hand and with the same, pulled his head to rest on hers. "it's ok" she whispered. "No its not" he tried to argue but she said "Alfred put it this way "That which did not kill you, better run pretty damned fast for it has made you stronger" she smiled despite herself.

"He really told you that?"

"Yes, much to Batman's chagrin I'm afraid… you see, after I read the note, and put on the robe and ate, I decided to wait. A few minutes later, Batman showed up. Imposing as always…"

_Flashback _

Meliah had quickly put on the robe. Ripped her clothes in the ambulance when she turned into the gorilla. She ate contently, for she had not had any food in at least two days. There was some milk and water, bread, cheese, strawberries, grapes, some ham and berries. She ate it all in a haste, not having time to enjoy the flavors. The note sitting on the table next to the tray.

Then silently, out of nowhere, Batman came out of the shadows and in a grave voice he said "you broke into my home" He saw a flick of panic cross her features but immediately it was replaced with a predatory demeanor and right in front of him, her eyes crystallized in shreds of blue.

"You didn't really expect me to go into a place like that did you?… because if you did, you were sadly mistaken."

"You need help, or what? don't you want to see your mother again? I don't think it would be in your best interest or hers for you to show up like that"

"mm, I see you will retort to blackmailing me with my mother as well" she said sarcasm and venom in every word.

"I am only stating the facts" he said in a monotone. She started to walk slowly, circling around him. His hand immediately went to his belt.

"For your information… Batman… my state of mind is in its right accord at the moment, and you had better said the truth about my mother being alive"

"And unless you get the treatment you need, you're not allowed near her"

"Let me get this straight… you dare to tell me what and what not to do? Is that what you're trying to say?" she said, snarling furiously and pounced at him, he evaded her attack and jumped towards the car but she had turned into a panther and with heavy paws, she landed on his chest bringing him down with a thud, his suit protected him from her claws to dig deep into his skin. He managed to kick her off him and he got up in a jump. She turned into a cheetah this time, pounced once more at the Batman while got out of the way not before retrieving a small dart gun from his belt and shoot at her.

She landed on all four behind a console and turned to her human form again, the monitors covering her from her chest down. Glared at him while she pulled the dart from her stomach.

She started to laugh almost as if she had inhaled the joker's poison. "Silly man, after all I've been thru, do you think this…" she said lifting the dart so he could see it "would actually do something to me, I barely even felt it"

Batman was taken a back by a split second. Hardly anyone had ever done that and this girl was mocking his attempts but before he could react a stern voice called him out on his behavior.

"I am most appalled at your sensitivity to this situation sir" Alfred said from the door and continued walking towards the table where Meliah had dropped the robe, ignoring the death glare Batman was shooting at him.

"Alfred?…" Batman warned, but the older gentleman just kept focused on his own goal. He picked up the robe, walked towards Meliah who was watching him curiously. He gave her a small smile, trying not to make her feel uncomfortable, dropped the garment over the monitor and walked back a few feet to give her space.

"Alfred.. What are you doing?" Batman said thru gritted teeth.

"Showing this young lady some hospitality. And you sir would do good in doing the same" he admonished. Then walked to the big computer, stroked a few keys and a video call started. There was some silence at first then a woman spoke "Mr. Pennyworth?" Meliah gasped "Mom?" she whispered. And walked around the console towards the monitor completely ignoring the Dark Knight standing in the middle.

When she got there, Alfred gave her a smile and pulled the chair out for her and motioned for her to sit. Still suspicious at the gesture but forgot all about it when her mom spoke to her this time.

"Meliah?… is that you?… My dear girl, finally you're safe" she started to cry, from happiness.

"Mom, is that really you?…" Meliah broke in tears hardly able to speak

"Mom, they …told me …you were …dead." she said between sobs.

"I know baby, they told me the same thing about you. I was devastated. Batman found me and I begged him to help me find you one way or another and… here you are…"

Meliah was crying now. Had it really been that long since she saw her mother last? The same beautiful features, eyes as blue as Meliah's but they seemed tired, dark circles under them, some white hairs could be seen. But there she was, her smile so loving.

Mother and daughter kept on talking what seemed for hours while Batman and Alfred talked quietly. "I told you not to contact the mother before getting the girl the treatment, what happened?" he said with a visible frown.

"Forgive me Master Bruce, but I didn't think that just the idea of her mother still alive would have been encouragement enough for her"

At that moment Meliah approached them and said with a teary eyed and happy expression "Mr. pennyworth?…" she said softly. Alfred turned to her and gave her a small bow and a smile "Please, Miss Simmons, call me Alfred. What can I do for you?"

"Mr. Alfred, thank you so very much for allowing me to speak with my mother. Its such a relief to know she's alive and ok, thank you!" She said fervently and hugged the butler, who was a little taken by surprise but patted her on the shoulder trying to be polite.

"It was my pleasure dear"

"She also said that you should have something for me?" she said shyly, quickly glancing at Batman then back to Alfred,

"Oh yes of course, I believe it has already arrived" Alfred said letting go of her and looking thru the pockets of his jacket. He found a small pouch and handed it to Meliah. Then with a soft "I'll be right back" he walked quickly over to the table to get water.

Meliah had turned to Batman and she looked apologetically at him and said "Thank you for finding my mother, and for finding me… and I'm sorry about earlier" she said almost in a whisper but he heard her.

"You're welcome" was all he said before Alfred came back.

"Here you go my dear" Alfred said handing her the glass of water. She had poured the contents of the pouch in her hand. they were a few pills of yellowish hue. She popped two of them in her mouth and took the glass that Alfred had brought for her. Immediately, she felt better. Her eyes changed to solid blue again and her heart beat slowed considerably.

Alfred showed some relief he didn't know was lacking and smiled to the girl. " Come with me Miss Simmons, I have drawn a bath for you, I can assure you it will help you get that much needed rest and relaxation you need to get better" he said with such an inviting smile that she had no reason to refuse.

_Present _

"I cant believe Batman could be so mean, I mean, yeah he seems to have no feelings at anything but man!, to try to blackmail you like that?" Said Garfield with surprise "How did he know that you were there?"

"I found out he had managed to attach a tracking device on my hair earlier before the ambulance issue. And when I saw him at the computer, he was actually tracking me down, Alfred told me he was in real shock to find out that I had followed him in. he had sent him a text message to bring the tray of food and find out my intentions"

"But now, how is it that they found you again? He said quietly, not wanting to upset her again. She sighed deeply and said "I had gone to Africa to let my wild side free. My mom was still sending me my medication but she said if let the animals out every now and then would help. She didn't want any attention on me for fear that those bastards would find me or her again, but it turns out, they did find us after all"

"What do you mean, how?"

"The shipments with my medication. At first there were a few pills missing, nothing really alarming, I figured just a short batch. It happened again the following month but this time there was more than a few. I contacted my mom to tell her about it. We started to get suspicious and on the next shipment I didn't wait for her answer. I followed the truck back the entire route. It took me weeks before finding out the truck was being intercepted half way the village, high jacked and the driver was replaced. I never received the shipments personally so I think they were trying to get a lock on me."

"I followed it back, the driver got off an abandoned warehouse by the airport and someone had left for him a duffel bag full of money. Now all this time I had had my medicine but had run out a couple of days before. So by the time he was getting ready to leave, I attacked him. Made him tell me what was gong on."

"Did he?" asked Beast Boy, concerned of what was coming next.

"Yes. He pointed at the plane ready to take off and that the people I wanted to talk to were there. So ii followed it, managed to get in thru the landing gear chamber and waited. The plane brought me back to the USA. The trail led me back to Gotham. A power plant old as time but still in use…"

She stopped, her breathing was getting faster with anxiety as she recalled the ordeal. She closed her eyes at the memories and continued softly.

"When I got there, I found out they had my mother. I saw her thru a monitor. A live camera feed. I tried to find the right room but I got caught instead. I tried to make a deal with them.. Me in exchange of my mother. They laughed and said that she was dead anyway, my deal wasn't that appealing and that since I had walked in voluntarily, I had no way out."

"They came on to me. Too many to handle by myself and I was knocked down. When I woke up, I was in a cage. With a chain attached to my neck. When I tried to pull it an electric shock brought me to my knees. I spend there I think over a week or longer. I lost track of time. Barely any food and water In days and I was ready to give up when he rescued me…"

Beast Boy's ears perked up at this. "Who?… Who rescued you?"

"Let me rephrase that… he didn't rescue me. He wasn't looking for me in the first place.. Rather helped me escape when he came across the room I was in…" she said with a ghost of a smile. "He was… looking for something else"

"Who Meliah… I need to know who" Beas Boy said anxious. It didn't go unnoticed. She glanced at him. Took a deep breath and focused again on the ceiling.

"I don't know his name. He didn't want to tell me and I didn't ask. But when I asked him to help me find my mother, he said he wasn't the hero type but knew someone who could do the job… he said I reminded him she of you. Of course I had no idea you were even alive, let alone you were a superhero with a superhero name but when he mentioned the only difference between you and me besides the gender, was the color. He said that "Beast Boy is green"…" She looked at him then, his expression in somewhat surprise and disbelief. She smile a little.

Garfield was in stupor. Searching in his brain for such a character. An errant thought cross his mind but dismissed it immediately. She turned to him and said "My heart skipped a beat that moment. So much went thru my head and yet I could think of nothing else. I asked him, begged him to bring me to you. At first he refused, he said it wasn't in his agenda to go back to Jump City any time soon but would be glad to show me the right way… and well… here I am".

Beast Boy got on his knees in front of her, pulled her up and hugged her as hard as he could. His face buried in her neck and hair, eyes closed trying to fight back tears. He let go of her for a moment and looked in her eyes "Can I ask you one more thing? She nodded, seeing concern in his eyes.

"How did the power plant got destroyed, what was in it?"

"Xenothium"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11. Desires **

"Red X!" exclaimed Robin in disgust and greeted teeth. Still holding a grudge on the thief that stole the suit a few years back.

"mm.. no wonder we haven't seen him in a while. He's found himself a big time supplier" said Cyborg, turning his chair towards Robin who had started to pace around the control room, head bent, hand on his chin and deep in thought.

"How much longer on the timer?" Asked Raven, not taking notice of the other two talking. Still staring down the window. Hood over her head hiding her features.

"Thirty minutes."

"Have you run the bio-scan?… how is she?"

"Her heart rate has slowed down considerably. Brain waves are normal but stress levels are higher than normal. Expected due to the circumstances"

Starfire flew back in. She had left an hour ago to prepared something to eat promising to bring something they could ingest. Now, she came back with a tray of sandwiches and a small box with some weight to it.

"This has been delivered at our doorstep" She said, handing it to Robin. It was addressed to a Robin of the Teen Titans. When he opened it, one half was a bottle of yellowish looking pills. The other half, a folded note for Cyborg which he handed to immediately.

"This are the instructions on how Meliah is supposed to take her medicine" Said Cyborg handing it back to Robin.

"We need to find out what other connection in all this" Robin said looking at the note but not really reading it.

"It doesn't matter who helped her escape. We need to find out what to do with her first. Beast Boy will not be so thrilled that she would be processed as a criminal" said Raven turning from the glass.

"How can you…" Robin started to say but Raven interrupted him.

"Red X is irrelevant at the moment Robin, and away from our jurisdiction. Right now we need to focus on the subject at hand" She said signaling to the glass. Robin crossed his arms over his chest and nodded once.

….

….

….

Beast Boy let out a low growl. His head still resting on her shoulder. Meliah pushed him back a little and looked him in the eyes.

"What is it Gar?"

"He's bad news M, he's a thief" He said with worried eyes. They sat back down and leaned their heads back against the wall behind them.

"I know Gar, He never pretended to be otherwise, but…" She turned to her left to look at him again "How bad of a villain can he be if he was willing to help a complete stranger like me… and…"

"Did he try to hurt you?" He said with a frown. She breathed out with some exasperation.

"Garfield, you're not listening. He helped me escape that God forsaken place, gave me food and clothes. He even tried to patch up my wounds and stayed with me long enough for me to leave on my own" She saw him still frowning. "He was a gentleman Gar… why do you even ask?"

"Because he always tries to hit on the pretty girls."

Meliah scoffed "Then I guess I'm not pretty enough. Not even once he tried to say something like that."

"What are you talking about M, you're beautiful!"

"You say that because you're my friend, but look at me Gar… really look at me. I'm a mess, cant control my wild side to save my life and don't even go to the eyes… broken blue? Not a pretty sight"

He looked at her for a moment, smiled to himself and looked down. "Did you know that when Raven gets mad her eyes glow red? And if she's really, really mad, she gets an extra set of eyes, all glowing red?" He laughed "Villains get terrorized if she gets like that in the middle of a fight."

"But not you… you don't think she's scary at all" it wasn't a question.

"Why would I, is part of who she is and I actually think that makes her more beautiful than what she already is" He said while he blushed and looked away in embarrassment, realizing at the last minute what he had said out loud. He looked away.

Meliah barely smiled with a sad expression "I hope one day, someone talks about me like that" she said softly and moved to the side and leaned her head on his lap. Facing the direction of his feet. He looked down at her and saw her close her eyes.

"M, are you ok?"

"Just exhausted" and said nothing else.

….

….

….

In the main time, there was silence in the control room. Raven was back in the corner standing in front of the glass looking down at Beast Boy and Meliah. She had heard every word and a small involuntary gasp escaped her lips. She was glad the hood of her cloak was still over her face to hide her expression. She was blushing terribly, she could tell.

Then she turned to the others who had stopped talking suddenly. They all were smiling.

"What" Raven said and tried to sound annoyed.

"Nothing" Said Cyborg innocently with a smirk and turned back to his computer. Starfire was floating above them, hands clasped at her chest with an expression of pure excitement.

"He was only trying to make her feel better" Raven said narrowing her eyes while she walked past them.

"Sure he was" Robin said giving her a knowing look she didn't miss. She glared at him for a moment then kept walking.

"Where you going Rae?" asked Cyborg tentatively.

"I need to meditate" was all she said and slammed the door after her.

"Since when do you meditate in the closet?" Asked Robin as soon as the door had closed.

"Arg! SHUT UP!" Raven yelled from inside. They heard a few things fall and then silence. Starfire flew to the door but when she opened it, Raven was gone. The others couldn't hold their laughs anymore.

….

….

….

Garfield was oblivious of the effect his previous words had on Raven. He was lost in his own thoughts when Meliah interrupted his revere.

"I want to see her" she said softly.

"What?" he said not understanding at first.

"I want to see my mother for the last time… will you go with me?"

He look down at her again. Tears running freely making their way to the fabric on his leg.

"Of course I will M. I'll talk to Robin as soon as we get out of here" he said while stroking her hair.

They didn't wait long. The doors were unlocked signaled by a green light above them. Meliah had fallen sleep. He heard the doors open and Robin and Cyborg walked in. Starfire flew in to stand in front of Beast Boy. She picked up the sleeping girl long enough for him to get up, stretch and get some circulation going on his legs. Then picked up Meliah and carried her out of the chamber.

Beast Boy was glad that Robin had agreed to take her to the common room. Now that the medicine was ready and she was calm enough. They walked silently until they were in the elevator, Beast Boy asked were Raven was.

"She's been gone to meditate for a while now" Answered Starfire. Beast Boy wondered if she had heard what he said but was too embarrassed to ask. A look between Cyborg and Robin with a smirk didn't go unnoticed.

Once in the common room, Beast Boy set her down on the large sofa, Robin placed the pills on the coffee table and left her to rest. When he mentioned the girl's request to see her mother's body there was an instant relief on the leader since Batman had said it was necessary for her to go anyway since she was the only relative to identify the body at the morgue. They discussed when was the right time to leave and agreed to go by dawn to give everyone enough time to rest.

Once that was settled, Beast Boy took a few bites of his sandwich and took off to the roof where he was sure to find Raven.

.

.

She had been pacing for a few minutes after she phased thru the floor on the roof. And even longer to try to find her center and actually concentrate on meditation. Her blush had subsided and had finally found some kind of peace when she heard a voice in her head

" Are you done meditating Rae? …" the voice in her head asked. Raven barely looked form side to side before closing them again "Yes, where…"

" Yay! Yay! Yay!… he likes us Rae. Aren't you happy?"

"You are… exuberant enough for the both of us. Where did you come from?" Raven asked somewhat annoyed at her emotion. Happy no doubt.

"Well, the boring one said to let you meditate so you could calm down… so.. .are you calm now?"

"I've had better moments of peace before. What do you want?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to know what are we going to do now. Even the creepy one here wants to know"

"About what?"

"BB of course!"

"Of course. Well, I have not decided yet."

"Duh! I know that, that's why I'm asking"

"Rage shall consume you!" said Raven's red emotion suddenly.

"Yes, yes we shall… in the main time.. Shush!" Said happy to her sister emotion. Raven only heard her hiss away but left them alone.

"Enough you two!" Said Raven

"Enough of what?" Said Beast Boy behind Raven. She had been so concentrated on her emotions arguing that she didn't hear the door open and close. She lost her concentration and fell on the ground with a thud.

"Ow" Was all she said while trying to get up. Beast Boy was at her side immediately and helped her up.

"Are you ok Rae?" He said still holding her hand.

She looked down at their hands together, blinked a few times and with a smile she threw her arms around his neck to his utter surprise.

"BB you're ok! I'm so glad you're ok" She said close to his ear. He was surprised and confused at her reaction. Unconsciously he moved his hands to her waist to hold her closer, but then it clicked "Of course I'm ok Rae why… wait…" he said and pulled her arms softly off his neck "You never call me BB" He said with a frown but then he looked at her closely and gasped.

"Happy? Is that you?" she smiled even more. An oddity yet becoming on Raven's features.

"I knew you'd recognized me" Happy said, still smiling.

"Where is Raven, Is she ok?" he said with some concern.

"She is, I just really, really wanted to see you and to ask you something… well not only me, the creepy one is been getting on my nerves since last time so…"

"Ask me what?" He asked, worried now.

" Are you going to kiss us soon?" She asked without hesitation. But suddenly she moaned in pain and started to shake her head from side to side, bringing her hands to her temples. Almost lost her balance when Beast Boy grabbed her by the waist to steady her.

She stopped moving and looked up to him, almost glaring. She felt his arms slide away but she held him there. "Well? Will you?" she said almost angry.

Beast Boy was surprised but even more terrified of who this one might be, because it definitely wasn't Raven.

"If …you...want…" He said hesitant. She gave him a devilish smile and with a swift move, pulled his head to her catching his lips with hers in fervor passion. It was hot, intense and angry. So strong was her hold on him that he didn't have time to think. Then slowly, he pulled away, enough to rest his forehead on hers. His eyes still closed.

"Rage will consume us both" she said softly and when he opened his eyes he gasped when he was met with two red ones glowing and a smile with pointed teeth.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12. Emotions. **

Beast boy managed to slide away from Rage and almost lost his footing walking backwards. "Oh man, not her, not her" He thought to himself desperately and lifted his arms in defense when he saw her approach.

"Raven, I know you're in there.. Please come back!" He almost beg. She smiled even more. But with this emotion, the more she smiled the creepier she looked.

"mmm, C'mon Garfield don't tell me you're afraid of me now. As I recall you expressed quite the opposite" She said tentatively.

"You heard that?!" He asked in panicked surprise.

"We all heard what you said"

"And.. How did Raven take it?"

"Wasn't the annoying one obvious? Raven is happy." She said with some disgust and mocking expression.

"Then why are you here?" He regretted his words the moment they came out. An extra set of glowing red eyes appeared on top of the already existing ones.

"You called me out! Or what? Did you forget what you said about me? Or was it all a lie to make that creature feel better?" She said thru gritted teeth.

"Meliah is not a creature, she's my friend and I remember exactly what I said. And I was talking about Raven, not you" A hint of anger sipped thru his words. She snarl at him but he didn't back away.

"I want my Raven back" He demanded this time, not paying attention to his words. She smiled maliciously.

"I am Raven, or did you forget we are all one and the same?"

"No, you're not her, just her angry side. I know I said I still like her when she's mad, but I don't want her to be like that all the time so you need to back off and let her come back" He took a step towards her. Hands balled into fists.

"Such commanding words… I don't think she likes to be ordered around either… but I have a better idea"

With that, she took a quick step towards him and enveloped both in her dark magic only to reappeared in Raven's room. Once there, he took a few steps away from her trying to regain his balance.

"How come Raven is not here? How come Happy and you were able to come out?"

"Call it a glitch in her system" She smiled, but when he didn't, she continued "What you said took her by surprise and lost some of the control she has over us. When she went into meditation, her guard was down for a split second. That's all we needed."

With a flick of her hand, Beast Boy was trapped entirely in her black aura and deposited unceremoniously on the bed.

"What do you want with me Rage?" He said, wary of her actions.

"Nothing less than what you want with Raven" She said while climbing the bed after him.

"And what do you think I want with her?" He asked, nervous now.

"Oh Garfield, don't play coy with me. We've seen how you look at us and much to my regret I have to admit that your little friend is right, there is nothing boyish about you anymore"

He had scrambled against the headboard with no way out.

"You'll be ours before you're hers, one way or the other."

"What are you talking about? Who?"

"Who else, that creature you have taken in. We don't trust her Garfield. You shouldn't either".

"So wait, let me get this straight. You don't trust Meliah and that's why you're doing this? That's why you're so mad?" He asked in disbelief not sure he had the right questions.

She stopped halfway on his chest and tilted her head. "You can say that, among other things"

"So, if Raven is mad because of Meliah, does that mean she's… jealous?"

"Stop saying her name in my presence!" She commanded and ripped the top of his uniform with one move.

He could feel her hot breath on his chest. Her hands going down his stomach. He panicked when she got too low for his comfort and took her hands and sat down in front oh her.

"Ok, lets get something clear. You're not going to have your way with me"

"I know you don't mean that. I know you want Raven, ergo, you want the rest of us" She said with a glare, all four eyes still glowing red.

"I want Raven, its true. But not like this and if you are Raven as you say, then you would also know me as well as she does. You would know that I would never do anything to hurt her, anything without her consent and most of all, anything that she's not aware of"

One set of eyes disappeared. He still held her wrists and saw her anger falter a little. So he continued.

"I love Raven and all and everything about her, but I wont have her without her permission… and don't be angry. Meliah is just a friend. A dear friend that right now needs my help"

He felt her relax, she was no longer glaring at him but still glowing a soft red. He let go of her hands and slowly, she sat down next to him.

"Very well, but one last piece of advice. Beware of her inner self Garfield. Meliah may be your friend but her wild side is not".

Then she started to loose balance and looked paler for a moment. Instantly, he reach out for her and grabbed her shoulders to steady her.

"Rage, are you ok? Is Raven ok?"

"I'm loosing my grip. The annoying one is getting stronger" She said weakly before she leaned her head on his bare chest.

She went limp suddenly, but slowly started to move her head. Beast Boy went into full panic. All thoughts went thru his head. How was he going to explain, not only being in her room but on her bed with his clothes halfway ripped. His heart quickened as he felt her take a deep breath and slowly push herself away from him.

She straighten up, opened her eyes and looked at him. A gasp escaped his lips, not sure what to expect, closed his eyes tight and braced himself for impact. He jerked at the sudden touch on his arm.

"Forgive me Garfield, I didn't mean to startled you"

"Who are you?" he asked with obvious worry.

"Please, do not worry. I can assure you I am neither Rage not Raven, as I'm sure you were concerned to encounter either one of them" her voice was soft, calm… soothing.

"I'm only concerned that Raven will get mad at me for all this" he said looking at her bed "Or this?" pointing at his ripped clothes. "She'll think the worst and blame me for it. How am I going to explain that I'm in her room… Her room! Where is forbidden for me or anybody other than Starfire to be in… and how…"

He was in full panic mode now but the Raven in front of him silenced him with her fingers on his lips with a soft touch. It was an intimate gesture.

"It is very endearing how well you know us. But we're running out of time. I am here to prevent all that chaos you just described".

"How?" He asked, taking softly her hand away from his lips. She smiled. Not an evil smile like Rage's or goofy like Happy's. But soft. Effortless. There was a subtle seductiveness to it that he had seen on Raven on the rare times she had smiled at him. Her touch was gentle.

"We'll go to sleep…" She started to say but Beast Boy interrupted her.

"What!?" obvious panic and wide eyes. This made her giggle.

"Not you and me. I meant Raven and us, her emotions. You'll have exactly ten minutes to get out before she wakes up. When she does, she wont remember much other than traces of a dream, but that's it".

"Why wont she remember? Doesn't she know what her emotions do and vice versa?"

"Only from the ones she's fully familiar with. I am an emotion she's not very much aware of, let alone recognize, but I've been lingering around for some time now. And this memories will stay with me until she decides to find out who I am".

"Even the memories with Rage?" He asked with some embarrassment.

"Those are Rage's own. But as you know, Raven tries not to have much to do with her"

"Wait, so how does it work? How will you make Raven sleep? Some kind of spell or something?"

"Yes, a small one. Uncommon but not unheard of"

"Why are you doing this? Putting a spell on yourself" he asked with real curiosity.

She looked in his eyes and tilted her head with a small smile. "Because we want to protect you. Raven is sure to react the way you expect, but only out of embarrassment, she's closer to the timid one than you think and we'll always do everything and anything within our power to do just that. Now, will you lay down with me until I fall sleep?… five minutes then you may take your leave".

He couldn't say no. Even though he didn't know this side of Raven he felt compelled to trust her just as he would with the real one.

He laid down and she did the same laying her head on his chest. His arm going around her shoulders. Never she tried to kiss him or even hug him. She wasn't pushy or demanding.

"You have impressed me today, you know" She said softly.

"How?" He asked turning his attention to her.

"The red one is the cruel, sadistic side of Raven's demonic heritage and yet, you managed to subside her anger just with a few minutes with you. Something Raven has been trying to do her entire life"

"Is that good?"

"Good?, I think its great. Thanks to you, she no longer feels rejected… thank you Garfield" She said sleepy. Saying his name in a whisper. Then closed her eyes.

"You're welcome" He kissed her forehead and she sighed deeply into his bare chest before falling sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13. Oddities **

Beast Boy enjoyed his allowed five minutes as if there was no tomorrow. Her lingering lavender scent filled his senses with new hope and wonder. Raven was always fierce and strong in battle. Always the silent protector that watched the team's back, but he had to admit she had saved him in more than several occasions. But this beauty right here in his arms was soft , passionate and even fragile. But never, even in a vulnerable moment was she weak. Meliah was right, her presence wasn't subtle but it wasn't her demonic side that he perceived, but her strength, both in character and determination. Her passion for what she did and what she was willing to do on an everyday basis in and outside of battle.

With each passing minute, the less he wanted to go, but if he had any hope of having a future with Raven, he thought "better not blow my chances now" and with that decided he disentangled himself very carefully from Raven's sleeping body and walked quietly to the door, opened it and carefully inspect there was no one in the hallway till he got to his room.

Once there he slowed down to really think. He leaned against the door and was lost in thought looking out the window across. He walked to his dresser and saw himself on a passing glance. Then look down at his tattered clothing and immediately remembered why it was like that. He shuddered at the memory. Raven's Rage wasn't sweet and gentle at all, but angry passion. And he felt that when she kissed him and blushed at the thought. As terrified as he had been afterwards, he had to admit he had enjoyed the feeling of Raven's lips on his once more, even if it had been by Rage's doing.

Lost in thought, he opened the top drawer and after rummaging around for a few seconds, he found a clean uniform. He changed absentmindedly when he remembered Rage's words "Beware of her inner self. Meliah may be your friend but her wild side is not".

"What did she mean with Meliah's… Meliah!… I totally forgot about her" he said to himself after he had realized with a gasp his lack of concern for his friend. He finished changing and left his room.

..

.

.

In the common room, Meliah woke up slowly. For a moment felt confused about her surroundings but memories came back with a rush and remembered her mother was dead. She closed her eyes for a moment trying to get a hold of her bearings. Sighed deeply and opened them again. She turned to the huge windows in front of her and saw the bright afternoon light in full blossom. Never had she seen such a bright day before and yet felt so gloomy and desolated inside.

She sat down and the first thing she noticed was the bottle of her medication on the coffee table in front of her. The instructions were written on it. Not that she needed to but read them anyway and with a relieved breath took the required amount and almost finished the contents of the glass when a movement caught her eye. To her far right was Cyborg, sitting at the other end of the sofa with an intent look on the screen. His fingers swiftly moved over a device on his hands.

She noticed the huge TV for the first time. Cyborg had seen her out of the corner of his eye but waited for her to see him first. He had volunteered to watch her in case she woke up with vengeance in mind. But hoped she didn't. his arm was still sore from the scratch he got earlier when she turned into a cheetah and Raven had not been in the healing mood. not after all the teasing they did to her. Him included.

"Super Mega Monkeys 7, the coolest game down in history" Cyborg said with an enthusiastic smile.

"I'll take your word for it" she said with a smile.

"You should eat something. Medicine that strong can hurt your stomach" He said and motioned for her to follow him to the kitchen. Her leg was still sore but bearable. She sat at the table and watch Cyborg go thru the closet and took out what seemed to be ingredients. He offered to make whatever she liked.

"I have no preferences, anything you make will be just fine"

"Ok little lady. I'll make you a dinner you'll never …" He stopped mid-sentence as he thought of something "Are you a vegetarian like BB?"

"No… I didn't know he was"

"He says he wont eat meat because…"

"Because I turn into those animals at some point tin man. I feel bad for them" Beast Boy interrupted as he walked into the kitchen.

"Garfield!" She said and her expression brighten as she said his name.

"Hey M" He said while he approached her. Grabbed her face in his hands and kiss her scars one by one. She closed her eyes at his touch and softly inhaled his scent but it was somehow different. A hint of lavender and a hint of… "Is that brimstone?" she thought to herself.

"How you feeling?" Beast Boy asked as he sat down on the chair next to her.

"Much better" He smiled at that.

"So is the tin man trying to get you to eat meat when there is delicious tofu in the vicinity?"

"I cannot say I've tried tofu before. And meat has been the only available thing in the jungle for a hungry wild animal like me" she said with a smile. Cyborg gave her two thumps up.

"You can try tofu if you want, its just as nutritious"

"Oh c'mon B, let her eat what she wants, if she's hungry for meat then I can help with that" Cyborg said and winked at her.

"Dude! What gives?!"

"What's going on?" Asked Robin as he entered followed by Starfire.

"BB here wants to introduce Meliah to his nasty tofu and I'm trying to make her real food"

"And hitting on her in the process" Said Beast Boy with a frown. Meliah just watched them argue back and forth. Then looked at Robin and

shrugged.

Robin cleared his throat and addressed Meliah. "We are very sorry for your loss, Meliah. I have arranged transportation for you and Beast Boy to go to Gotham tomorrow morning so you can pay your respects"

This caused the other two to get silent. Meliah's expression changed to one of utter sadness. "Thank you Robin, I greatly appreciate it"

Cyborg glared at Robin who in exchange raised an eyebrow. Beast Boy grabbed her hand and said "Don't worry M, I'll be right there with you" she smiled at him and leaned in gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Gar"

Starfire walked next to her and placed her hand on the girl's shoulder "In my planet, when we face such sorrow we enjoy the digesting of the pudding of sadness, would you like to try?"

Starfire didn't wait for a reply, instead, placed a plate with a gooey pinkish gelatin with pieces of something green inside in front of Meliah who looked at it with curiosity. Shrugged to herself and took a spoonful in her mouth before any of the guys could react on time.

The taste was a brutal mix of sour milk and raspy lemon with hints of mint. There was no way of biting into it but when she felt what was probably the green stuff on her tongue, almost fussy and rubbery, she swallowed hard.

Robin's and Cyborg's faces went as green as Beast Boy's along with Meliah's who had closed her eyes tight and felt burning while the pink gelatin went down her throat. And as if she had swallowed hot sauce she started to cough then took a deep breath. With watery eyes, she blinked the tears away and shook her head while she grabbed on to the table.

There was silence for a moment. Meliah sniffed, carefully placed the spoon down on the plate, very aware of the trembling gelatin and put her hands on her lap, cleared her throat and with a raspy voice she said " Thank you… I feel much better now"

"Wondrous!" The alien girl said clasping her hands in delight "I shall cultivate the fungus and prepare some more for your trip tomorrow" and turned away with the unfinished plate

Meliah's expression was of utter fear. Without looking away from the gelatin, grabbed on to Beast boy's knee and slowly turned to him and with wide eyes she whisper "Fungus?" before the alien turned to her again with a smile and flew out of the kitchen.

Meliah watch her go and turned to Beast Boy again "Save me" she said to him and the others burst out laughing.

"I can honestly say I have never tasted anything worse than that… not even when…" she shuddered and a chill run down her spine "nope… not even then" .

Cyborg handed her a glass of water which she finished in one breath while they were holding their stomachs rolling on the floor with laughter and gasping for air.

.

.

Raven woke up exactly five minutes after Beast Boy had left her room. Slowly, she turned to lay on her back. She felt content for some strange reason. None of her emotions were acting up and yet they were very present. She felt as if she was missing something. Looked around not knowing what she was looking for. Then it hit her. "How come I'm in my room?" she said out loud to herself.

She had fussy memories of when she was in the roof, Beast Boy had showed up and after that, she couldn't remember. For some stranger reason, she felt happy when she thought of him. "oh no, what happened?" she said out loud again, somehow hoping her emotions would answer her like they had been doing for the last couple of days. But there was silence.

Meditation was out of the question, Too confused to concentrate. So, she decided to get up and find Beast Boy and ask him what had happened. She walked out of the room into the hallway. Caught a flying glance of Starfire on her way to the roof. That only meant two things. She was going to sunbathe (which she only did on early mornings) or she was going to get more of that fungus she liked to grow for her puddings. She grimaced at that thought.

She kept walking until she reached the common room. When the doors open was surprised by what she saw. Cyborg and Robin bent over in laughter and Beast Boy almost the same but closer to Meliah. Too close for her liking. Then a rushed memory passed by. She caught a glimpse of Beast Boy with a bare chest. That gained a gasp that caught everyone's attention. She blushed when Beast Boy looked at her and smiled at her.

She pulled her hood over her head to try to get some privacy on her reactions. Robin approached her, still holding his stomach and trying to control his laughter.

"You seem happy" She said in her monotone.

"Meliah tasted Starfire's … pudding … of sadness" he said in between laughs and gasps of air.

"I see it worked too" she said unmoving. He finally calmed down and asked

"Everything ok?"

"yes… bad dream… couldn't meditate" she said while she shook her head and closed her eyes at the memory.

"Come, Cyborg was getting ready to prepare dinner and…" he was interrupted by the alarms and red and yellow lights flashing all over the common room.

Everybody sobered up and run to the computer where Robin was already typing on. Starfire showed up seconds later.

"Who is it?" Asked Beast boy.

"Red X!" Said Robin and turned to Meliah who arched an eyebrow who still didn't know the name of her rescuer and was confused by the look Robin gave her.

"Titans. Go!" Yelled Robin but Beast Boy stopped him.

"Dude, what about Meliah?"

"She'll be safer here than anywhere else"

"I'll stay with her, I don't want to leave her alone" said Beast Boy leaving no room for argument.

Robin nodded, turned and left followed by Cyborg and Starfire. Raven lingered a little longer and Beast Boy walked to her.

"Are you ok?" he asked trying not to get too close. "I'll be fine… be careful" she said nodding subtly on Meliah's direction.

"You too" He said softly and she phased thru the floor never leaving his eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14. Secrets part 1**

Raven caught up with the rest of the team as they entered the car. Robin nodded at her once and she responded with a nod of her own. Their own language needed no words.

As they arrived to their destination, it occurred to Robin that this was not Red X's usual target but a run down shipping warehouse that had been abandoned for quite some time now.

"Are you sure he's here?" Raven asked landing next to Robin and Cyborg.

"These are the coordinates from the stress call… but there is nothing else of interest to him in miles" Said Cyborg looking at the small screen built in his arm.

"Let's find out" Said Robin and started to run towards the entrance.

Once inside they found stacks of dusty crates all over the place. Brocken pillars on the sides and part of the roof had caved in at the far end.

"Well, I was wondering when you kids were going to show up" Said Red X leaning against a broken post with his arms crossed over his chest.

The Titans took their fighting stances. With star bolts ready, Starfire flew closer while Red X straighten up ready for whatever was coming.

"Please, what is it that you seek?" Starfire asked, eyes no longer glowing.

"What makes you think I'm looking for something, gorgeous?"

"There is nothing here for you to steal. Nothing comes in or out of this place, so, what do you want?" Said Robin, birdarangs at the ready.

"Last we heard you had a cozy living in Gotham with a big time supplier of Xenothium in the neighborhood" Said Cyborg aiming at Red X with his cannon.

"Ah, I see news travel fast and you already talked to that sweet kitten already"

Cyborg shot a blast from his cannon but went thru empty air as Red X teleported away from his spot.

"Touched a nerve I see" Red X said from behind them. They all turned and started to attack the skittish villain. Star bolts were thrown in all directions as Starfire tried to follow his moves, but with his teleportation device made it difficult and almost hit Cyborg in the process.

"I'm sorry friend Cyborg" She said, but that little distraction prevented her from seeing Red X, who with a quick move, threw a rubbery X from his hand to the alien. And another, and another until she was tied down from head to toes.

"Sorry gorgeous" He said and disappeared to dodge a blasting from Cyborg's cannon. Robin run to him with bo staff in hand. A mix of high kicks and swings of his weapon were blocked or matched as Red X seemed to know Robin's every move.

"What do you want?" Yelled Robin before another attack.

"Look kid, nothing personal, but is not you who I need to talk to" He said and threw an X at Robin's legs and another one at his torso immobilizing the Boy Wonder.

Raven had been trying to trap Red X with her dark magic but the elusive thief was proving to be a challenge.

Cyborg was trying to track him with a body heat scanner built in his arm to anticipate where Red X would appear next but the villain threw a giant X at him, wrapping him around completely. Cyborg tumbled down into several crates. He was getting ready to shoot his cannon again when he heard the villain say "I wouldn't do that if I were you" and motioned to the explosives that had spilled over around Cyborg.

Then swiftly moved away before a flying crate would crush him. He reappeared in mid air behind Raven and threw another X at her. She turned around in time to dodge the first one but the second one caught her by surprise and wrapped around her arms and torso, knocking her out of the air against a wall.

"Raven!" Yelled Robin still unable to move but Red X caught her and held her close. "Hey beautiful" He said while Raven glared at him.

"If you don't want to talk to Robin then who?" she asked.

Red X tilted his head a little and said "I knew you were beautiful but now I can understand why he threw himself at you on the floor" he said tentatively.

"What!? What are you…" Raven started to say but quickly remembered what he was talking about.

"Don't pretend you don't know beautiful. A couple of days ago… in his room…"

"Shut up! Shut up!" She said, letting panic in her voice while her eyes went wide.

"Ah, you remembered" then he leaned into her ear and said "And I guess your friends don't know"

"Get away from her!" Yelled Robin.

"Don't worry kid, I just need to talk to her" He said and picked her up in his arms and walked away to the other side of the warehouse.

"How did you know about that?" She whispered, still glaring at him. He stopped walking and looked at her.

"I was outside his window. I was about to go in when I noticed you in there…"

"Why were you there?"

"I need to talk to Beast Boy but I left when I saw him on top of you''

Raven blushed and tried to disentangle herself but the way she was trapped it had her cloak wrapped around her arms and legs so she couldn't move much. He noticed her discomfort and sat her down on a crate, then he kneeled in front of her.

"Look beautiful, I promise I didn't see anything and I wont say anything to your friends but I need to Beast Boy about his friend Meliah"

"What about her? And why didn't you just say anything that night?"

"Because whatever was going on between you two wasn't my business , and believe it or not, I think you're too beautiful to be alone" he said while run a finger along her jaw line. She moved slowly away from his touch and arched an eyebrow.

"Now you're just mocking me. What about Meliah that we don't already know?"

"A lot more than what you think. But right now, all I can tell you is that whoever is after Meliah is also targeting your boyfriend and whether she knows it or not, I need to warn them"

Suddenly, her eyes glowed white and a sharp shred of her energy cut thru the X that was holding her then she lifted a dark force field around in front of them, blocking a blast from Cyborg and star bolts directed at Red X who had been so distracted with Raven, he didn't see the other Titans breaking free and prepare an attack.

"Wait! He's coming with us!" Raven yelled at her teammates who stopped short but lowered their weapons. Raven's shield disappeared.

"Are you sure is a good idea Raven?" Asked Cyborg.

"Yes Raven… are you sure that's a good idea?" Mocked Red X.

"He has information we need" She said to her teammates, then turned to Red X and said "And since when are you scared of a bunch of kids?" Sarcasm sipping in her words.

"I'm not"

"Good" She said and enveloped both of them in her dark magic and disappeared.

"Robin? Do you think that's a good idea?" Asked Starfire with a worried frown.

"Don't worry Star, if I know Raven, there has to be a really good reason to make such decision"

"Yeah Star, and if I know my little sister, Red X is already sitting in the holding cell" Cyborg said with a smile. Robin and Starfire nodded their agreement and headed back to the tower.

…

…

Back in the tower, Beast Boy had just seen Raven disappear thru the floor on a stress call. It was the first time he had ever stayed behind, not being there to watch her back. Even though he knew she was capable of taking care of herself, he always wanted to make sure she was ok.

"You're worried about her, are you?" Asked Meliah a few feet away.

"Yeah, a little"

"You didn't have to stay with me Gar, if they need you then you should…"

"No M, I'm not going to leave you alone again"

" But you said you're worried about her. If that villain is someone that can pose a threat then…"

"Is Red X, the guy that rescued you''

"Oh" Was all she said "I guess the name should have been obvious" she thought to herself.

"I just like to know she's ok" He said while he sat down on the sofa and rested his elbows on his knees. She followed him and sat down next to him. After a few minutes Beast Boy broke the silence.

"M? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course" She noticed him fidgeting with his fingers, a nervous gesture he's had since he was little. She waited patiently but something told her she already knew what he was going to ask and dreaded to have to answer him.

"M? … Um… how is it that you're like me?" He finally asked with a worried frown. She tensed up, looked down and sat straight facing the window instead of him. After a few minutes of silence, she answered without looking at him.

"I didn't want you to leave"

"But no one knew we were leaving. I didn't find out until the night before. How did you know?"

"I was trying to see you. After … that day with those kids… you refused to get out or even see me" she said with a frown, trying to hold back tears.

"That was because I didn't want to hurt you again. I was responsible …"

"And I told you it was no big deal, that I still loved you. It had been an accident after all… but you remained in your parent's lab or in your room and I couldn't take it. The whole accident had been my fault and" She was crying now but he interrupted her.

"Don't say that Meliah, it wasn't your fault"

"If I hadn't screamed then I wouldn't have startled you and.. And…"

"M, you were a little girl, of course you were going to be scared, I never blamed you for anything"

"And I never blamed you, but when I heard your parents talking about leaving a week or so before the trip, I felt responsible. They mentioned how bad you felt after my accident, how guilty. I didn't want you to feel like that so I sneaked into their lab hoping to see you" She stopped, closed her eyes and a few more tears run down her cheeks.

"What happened there?" He whispered. She took a deep breath and continued.

"I found all the vials and monitors. Another machine running samples of your blood and more vials with your blood in them on the counter. I remembered what my mother had told me over dinner a few weeks before when you were bitten by the monkey"

"What did she tell you?"

"That you had acquired a rare virus and that they had to find a cure. She was working with your parents to find a cure for the Sakutia Virus. When I asked why were you green she said they were not sure and went on the scientific explanation on the possibilities …" She saw his look of confusion, scoffed and said " You knew our parents, if there was a scientific explanation there was no sugar coating it. I think she forgot she was talking to a little kid or hoped that I didn't understand"

"And did you understand?"

"Only that whatever was mixed in your blood made you green. By then I figured that that also had made you change into an animal."

By this point, beast Boy caught the meaning of her words and slowly, his eyes went wide and gasped.

"Meliah, what did you do?"

She turned to him for a moment, and softly said "What the logic of a little kid told me to do. It made sense to me that if I was like you then you wouldn't feel alone or guilty."

"But why?…" He started to say but she yelled.

"Isn't it obvious? I didn't want you to leave" She snapped, then closed her eyes and took a shaking breath. "I felt safe with you" she whispered. Her hands were shaking and was trying to contain her despair and anger from her voice. Beast Boy got closer, something was wrong.

"M, what are you not telling me?" He whispered.

She opened her eyes, tears running free while looking out the window. Beast boy saw them drain and crystallized into the shreds of blue. She set her jaw in the attempt to stop it from trembling along with the rest of her body.

"My dad…" she started to say, she cleared her throat one more time and continued "He used to molest me when I was that little. When you were there, you were always with me, you never left me alone so he stopped for a while. But once you were gone, all hell broke loose."

"Meliah…I didn't know…" he started to say, her words had caught him by surprise and a cold shivering chill run down his spine.

"No one knew. Not even my mother. He had threaten me with taking me away from her, and even you if I said anything to anybody." she made and expression of disgust when she said "My dad, even said he would hurt my mom if I told her… so I said nothing… when he found out what I could do, he set out to get me for his sick purposes"

Beast Boy's blood started to boil. Rage was rising within him. "How can someone be so sick and cruel and do that to a little girl… his own daughter." he yelled.

She recoiled from him when he tried to put his hand on her shoulder, she closed her eyes shut and her breath was shaking again.

He felt more anger and hurt but understood her reaction. He brought his hands back to his lap.

"Did your mom ever found out?" He said after a while. His jaw hurting from tightening his teeth.

"Yes, the first time she was kidnapped. That's why she asked Batman to find me. After that my condition got worse and…"

She whispered the last words but couldn't hold her tears anymore. She got up, tried to walk away but Beast Boy caught her. She wrapped her arms around herself, looking away from him. He came in front of her and saw her eyes blue again.

"M, I'm right here, you're safe now. I'm not going to hurt you and I will not let anyone hurt you again." He said and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. She was crying, trembling but finally loosen her arms and wrapped them around him while he shed silent tears.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15. Secrets part 2**

Meliah pushed him away softly and walked to the window. The evening was upon them, the city lights could have been a beautiful sight in other circumstances. "Do you know how he found out of what we can do?" she said to his reflection on the window. "He followed me to your parents boat"

"What?… is that why you were hiding?" He asked. Slowly coming closer.

"No, I didn't know at the time he had been following me, I was there because there was no way I was going to stay behind."

"So, when you said that you were like me…" Trying to understand that other bit of his memories.

"I had already messed with the vials. At first nothing happened but as I was making my way out, I felt a chill run inside me then burning. Your parents found me outside their lab right before I passed out. I got pretty sick for the remaining of the week until the day you were departing. I had the same symptoms you did. I made myself get off the bed and tried to get to you before it was too late." she turned to him and walked back to the sofa and continued.

Beast Boy had forgotten to breath until he whispered "You could have died"

"I know" she said with a sad smile. "I just wanted you to know that I was like you, that you didn't have to leave" He nodded with a knot on his throat.

"I was pretty disappointed when I didn't turn green" She said with a sad chuckle. "But I felt different. I followed your parents to the boat and waited till the next morning"

"You spent the night alone in that cabin?" he said while he came closer and kneeled in front of her.

"I didn't think I was alone. I heard steps around the deck, so I figured it was your dad. I stayed there until you showed up the next morning"

"What happened after I left? "

"During the storm, I came out to the deck after your dad came for you, then the lightning stroke the boat and it was already sinking and fire was everywhere. I heard faint voices over the storm… I managed to get to the railing and saw your parents overboard and you were no where in sight."

"The river had swollen with the heavy rain and the wind made it difficult to see but I saw your dad point ahead and I saw the edge of the waterfall approaching fast. I could feel the charge of the storm and the rumble of the thunder right before the lighting strike and I jump overboard"

"The current was strong and I could barely keep my head out of the water. For a moment I wished to be something big, next thing I know I'm an octopus. I managed to grab your parents with my tentacles but… suddenly I couldn't breath…"

"What?! You tried to save my parents?!" He said in disbelief. She smiled sadly again.

"They were scared of course, they didn't expect to see this huge sea creature trying to grab them. For a moment they thought I was you. I remember them yelling your name and telling me to let go of them and save myself. However by then I couldn't breath anymore and had to let go of them and the rock I had managed to strand myself into… I turned back to human, barely conscious and right at the end of the waterfall , your mother grabbed me and your dad grabbed us both and fell into the empty space…"

The room was silent. She was hugging her knees to her chest hiding her face. Beast Boy's slump form and head hung didn't make a sound or a move other than the shaky breathing he tried to control.

Suddenly, Beast Boy felt arms wrap around him. He didn't open his eyes, her scent betrayed her. Raven held him close and he buried his face on her shoulder. In the turmoil of their emotional moment, neither of them had sensed Raven's presence as she appeared thru the floor next to Beast Boy who now cried bitterly.

…

Raven had returned with Red X to the tower. She had managed to place the villain in the holding cell before she got too distracted. And she had been at the console, watching them thru the live surveillance cameras and had heard Meliah yelled at Beast Boy and from there listened to the rest of the conversation.

It wasn't long before the others came back and also heard part of the conversation as well. They had known that Beast Boy's parents had died in an accident but he had never gone into detail. And now they were all finding out, along with him what happened next. Raven couldn't take it anymore and the moment she saw him sink in the floor crying, she phased thru one of her portals and reappeared in the screen next to Beast Boy. No one dared to say a word. Not even Red X.

…

…

Beast Boy slowly lifted his head. Still not making eye contact with Raven who was kneeling next to him. He felt ashamed for a moment. No one had ever seen him cry before other than Raven, but still couldn't help it.

Meliah had finally calmed enough to notice Raven's presence, but it didn't bother her as much at the moment. She was just glad Garfield had someone who's shoulders he could cry on.

With some difficulty, he managed to steady himself enough and with a hoarse voice, he asked "What happened next?"

"Gar" called Raven softly to him, not paying much attention to her impulse of calling him by his real name.

"No Rae, I have to know" he said softly as he grabbed her hand. She squeezed it softly.

"M, what happened with my parents?" he saw her eyes crystal shreds of blue again, not sure if it was due to Raven, but at the moment he didn't care.

Meliah took a deep breath, looking at everything but nothing or anybody in particular. "When I woke up, I was ashore, your mother lying on her back next to me. I had a broken leg and my other ankle was swollen. There was a small fire next to us and a man in some kind of robe came to us."

"It turns out, he was a monk on a meditation trip that had ventured into the jungle with just a few supplies. But the sudden storm had stranded him on a nearby cave by the waterfall. The water had started to overflow the cave and had to come out or he would have been trapped"

"That's when he saw what was left of the boat and a woman and a girl floating nearby with the current taking us farther. He managed to get us ashore but had to wait for the storm to subside before taking us to the nearby village. I don't know what time it was when I woke up next but the wreckage was around us. The monk had gone out for help and I fainted again when I saw him coming back with help"

"I woke up in the hospital with a cast on my leg . My mother was next to me. Apparently she had been looking for me into every hospital around. And that's when they brought me in along with your mother"

Garfield gasped at this. A small sense of hope building in his heart. "My mom…" he started to say.

Meliah closed her eyes shut and almost whispered back " Her injuries were severe. A broken arm, a few broken ribs, a punctured lung and several concussion. She was heavily sedated they had to do surgery in order to fix her lung, but once inside, they discovered the damage was worse"

"There was internal bleeding and besides her lung, her liver had detached and wasn't functioning. A further scan revealed a swollen brain too tight against her skull."

"After a few days, the doctors had managed to get the swelling of her brain down but they couldn't tell the extent of the damage until she was awake if she ever did… and by sheer will power she woke up disoriented at first. The Dr said she might not have memory of who she was but she managed to say "find my Garfield" … and she passed away" She said this last in a whisper. All tone detached from emotion.

At this point Garfield was paralyzed in shock.

It was an unbelievable amount of pain and sorrow that Raven felt from them. She had sensed it on him before but as a fleeting emotion but now it was a thousand times worse. Guilt and despair emanated from the two changelings.

Meliah had started to shake despite her efforts. It hurt her to see him like this. It was something she hadn't spoken of to no one. Not even her mother.

The others had been listening from the holding cell room. Starfire had started to fly their way but Robin stopped her. She wept silently.

Without warning, Garfield asked what Meliah was silently hoping he wouldn't want to know. "What about my father"

Meliah squeezed her eyes shut and despite herself, more tears escaped her. "He died instantly" she whispered.

"How!?" Garfield said louder than what he had meant. Meliah didn't answer at first. Trying to take calming breaths.

"How, Meliah" he repeated thru greeted teeth, trying to keep an even voice. She cringed at his tone.

"He put himself between the rocks and us. He buffered our fall… he had a shattered skull and spine"

Garfield was crying fully now. Meliah was hugging herself crying at the memory. She didn't tell him she had seen his father's mangled body within the nearby remnants of the wreckage.

Garfield was panting. Heavy breaths could not fill in the emptiness he felt at the moment. He felt light headed and grabbed on to Raven's hand as if she was his anchor. He had closed his eyes for a moment when he heard her sobs.

He saw Meliah, staring at nothing, lost in thought, panting heavily like he was. Pale and shaking uncontrollably. Then she closed her eyes trying to steady herself, tears still running.

Beast Boy let go of Ravens hand and leaned into Meliah and held her tightly. Meliah wrapped her arms around his neck and both cried together.

Raven could not help but feel left out. There was no comfort she could give him. She wanted to at least touch him, to let him know she was there for him. She even lifted her arm, ready to put her hand on his shoulder but then, Meliah wrapped her legs around his torso.

Raven dropped her hand and without a word used her dark magic to phase thru the floor and reappeared on the roof.

Her eyes stung from the held tears, but she was stronger. And tried to blink them away but a few minutes later she saw two large birds, one green, one ivory fly away.

And then she couldn't hold her tears anymore and dropped to the floor on her knees, holding her face in her hands sobbing uncontrollably.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16. Deals **

There was silence in the holding cell room. Everybody stared at the screen and painfully watched Raven's defeated expression when she dropped her arm mid-air, silently pulled the hood of her cloak and phased thru the floor.

"Oh man" Was all Cyborg said after a while of silence and watching the two changelings turn into eagles and fly out the window.

"So… is she…" Red X started to say but was cut off mid sentence.

"Not a word about this if you know what's good for you" Warned Cyborg. The thief lifted his hands in defense and said "Hey, I was just going to say if she wasn't up for our little chat, then I might just leave you kids with your issues"

"And how exactly do you pretend to do that?" Asked Robin, turning to the holding cell twirling the thief's belt in his finger.

"What the…" The thief said in surprise looking at his waist and touching around it to make sure it was actually gone. "Oh, she's a sneaky little minx I give her that"

"She's sneaky alright but she ain't no minx" Cyborg said apprehensively.

"Oh, I don't know about that…" Red X taunted but found himself facing Cyborg's humming cannon in front of his face. "What are trying to say?" glared Cyborg.

"Friends, please. Stop the arguing. Right now we need to find a way to help our friends" then turned to the metal man "Friend Cyborg, do you know where Raven has gone?"

Cyborg gave the thief another angry glare but pulled his cannon while it formed his hand again and checked the small screen on his arm.

"She's still in the tower Star, on the roof"

"Star, she might want to be alone"

"Friend Robin, a girl must never be alone at a time like this" She said while she placed a hand on his shoulder lightly then took off towards the doors.

"She's cute" Said Red X, arms crossed over his chest leaning against the nightstand while looking at Robin stare at the flying girl disappear thru the doors. Robin was about to answer but realized who had spoken and glared at the prisoner.

"Hey, I'm just stating a fact" Said the thief with a shrug.

"Hey, what did I tell you about saying a word about any of this" Said Cyborg while aiming his cannon at the cell again.

"That will be unnecessary" Said Raven coming out of the shadows of her magic. Cyborg put away his cannon one more time and turned her way.

"You ok Raven"

"Peachy" She answered sarcastically.

"Raven, you don't have to…" Robin started to say but she cut him off

"He's my prisoner and he didn't come willingly to hear our arguments"

"Actually I wasn't willing at all" intervened the thief arms still crossed on his chest.

"Save it!… Let's get to the point" Raven snapped.

"Woa there beautiful, what's in it for me? You have to at least let me go"

Raven was rubbing her temples now, patience wearing thin. " You're trying my patience X, but… if what you have to say is worth my time and… you help us get this ordeal done with… I might reconsider letting you go"

"Raven, you're not actually going to trust him with this, are you?" Asked Robin, approaching the empath.

"My prisoner. My deal. I'll handle the consequences" She snapped leaving no room for further discussion. Then turned to the man behind the bars and said with a cold, menacing monotone " So… do we have a deal?… but I'll suggest you to really think before you answer because at the slightest sign of betrayal… I will hunt you down and send you to a dimension where pain is the only way of living with no chances of any sort of escape. Are we clear?" She said thru gritted teeth and her eyes glowing red once more. She had come closer to the cell staring up at the thief who had come closer to the bars as well.

"I guess I'm all yours beautiful" He said after a few seconds of staring back into her glowing eyes. If he was in any way scared, his voice never showed it. She nodded once, gave one step back and with a wave of her hand the doors of the cell were encased in her dark magic and opened to everyone else's surprise.

He stepped outside his cell, never leaving her eyes. "What about my belt" he asked. The belt still on Robin's hand, was encased in dark magic and floated to her hand. "This… will stay with me until the time comes" she said while putting the belt around her waist below her own.

"Still don't trust me I see" Taunted the thief, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I never said I did" she simply said.

…

…

On the roof, Raven had given in to emotional break down and was crying without restrain.

"Unbelievable" Came a voice and despite herself, Raven looked around the roof.

"The mighty Raven… crying on her knees for that idiot" came the voice again in her head. It was Rage, taunting at her mistress. "Can you get any lower that that?"

"What do you want" Said Raven, trying to overcome her surprise at hearing this particular emotion speak other than her constant course of "Rage shall consume you" every time she had to suppress her.

"Merely a word… but not only from me"

"What… do you want?" Repeated raven feeling her anger rise.

"Mind to explain what is this… display of weakness" said Rage with disgust.

Raven looked away, still to the floor, somehow feeling than being admonished by one of her emotions was ironic.

"I couldn't help it anymore" she said quietly.

"And what do you pretend to do about it?"

"Leave her alone Red" Said another voice. Brave no doubt, said above the other emotions whispering.

"Please, like your helping!" Snapped Rage "What good did it do being bold. She got happy with the results but as a consequence let her guard down and look what happened"

"These are circumstances beyond our control. We can only manage so much in a situation. You have to reconsider your position Red" said Wisdom.

"Reconsider what? Me pointing out the obvious?"

"And according to you, what is the obvious?"

"That she's going around this the wrong way"

"Since when you can tell the right from the wrong way?" taunted Brave.

Raven was rubbing on her temples, feeling anger and rage built up along with annoyance. "Enough" She said quietly, trying not to exert too much or the headache she's been trying to keep away will come full force.

But, her words fell on deaf ears as her emotions kept arguing among themselves.

"Quiet!" Said Timid above their argument alongside Raven who had had enough and decided to go and stop the argument herself. She adopted her meditating position and chanted her mantra. A soft breeze enveloped her and when she opened her eyes, she found herself in the presence of her emotions, in a desolated place. She looked around before asking

"Where are we?" She said to no one in particular, but the yellow clad emotion came forward.

"This is the realm of Sadness. Every human experiences a desolated state in between rage and happiness, desperation and hope. And we are right in the middle of it" said Knowledge. Never phased with the details of the state of emotions rather interested in the logic of such circumstances.

"Ok… mind telling me what.. All this is about?" Said Raven motioning to the rest of her emotions gathered around Brave and Rage.

"I told you. We want to know what was that display of weakness about" Said Rage, approaching her host.

"Never mind that Red, but Rae, I must admit she has pointed out a valid question" Said Wisdom stepping in between Rage and Raven. "What are we going to do about it?"

Raven arched an eyebrow then looked at Knowledge. "Don't look at me, I only know what you already know. I cannot predict the future" said the yellow one in her defense.

"He's not going to stay away from her now. Not after what he just found out"

" Oh please, that chick has nothing on us and yet you let her get to your head." Said Rage with a sneer.

"Is not… only that. But he feels responsible for some reason" answered Raven quietly.

"That's just plain old pity… her wild side however doesn't need babysitting, needs medication. He'll get tired of her in no time"

"Just like he'll get tired of us for having the same problem" Said Timid, tears running freely on her cheeks, Sadness, a grey cloaked emoticlone holding her tightly.

"What!?" Said Raven in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"We don't have the same problem I can assure you" Said knowledge grabbing Timid by the shoulders from Sadness who just lower her head and stepped back without a word.

"Mind to elaborate on that?" Said Raven watching one girl dry the tears o the other one.

"Rae, do you know why or how this…" Knowledge said in a circular motion of her index finger "is able to happen?"

"My powers. I was taught to create a realm where my emotions could run freely in my mind without interfering with the real world, otherwise I would loose control and destroy everything around me"

"Exactly. A supernatural circumstance that allowed you to… detach… in a way … of your emotions and yet being able to interact with us, just like your doing now"

"Your point?"

"For a human, a situation like this would be considered a mental illness, a condition called Multiple Personality Disorder. With the difference that emotions would not represent themselves inwards only, but outwards, and the host having no idea of what his or her other personalities do when they take over. Not a memory whatsoever as they consider themselves individuals without having knowledge of the others"

"But as curious as it may be, Meliah suffers this condition which surfaces at a time of distress. With her background, there is no wonder why her mind split into a secondary one that was more capable to deal with the situation"

"You called it curious… why?" Asked Raven trying to take in the information.

" It merged with her powers, that's why one is aware of the other. The same way you can interact with us in your mind, the same she can interact with hers, just not in a physical level like we are right now"

"Are there more than one?"

"No, just one. The bolder, wilder, more sensual side of Meliah. I wouldn't be surprised if they agreed on when one or the other could take over the body"

"Well that answers one half of the dilemma, what about the other half?" Said Rage while crossing her arms over her chest.

"This changes things. And I will deal with that when the time comes." Raven said, raising her chin in defiance of her bold emotion., leaving no room for discussion.

"This changes nothing" Snapped the red one. When Raven had turned around ready to leave.

"Look, I have a thief to interrogate, I have no more time to argue with you anymore"

"Fine… then let us help" Said Rage tentatively.

"Since when are you the helping kind?" Asked Raven, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Look Rae, I have as much at stake as the rest do. I don't feel like being part of an emotional train wreck that that one is trying to create" She said pointing at Sadness who just hid further in her cloak.

"Red, that's not a good idea, you have no control over yourself" Knowledge stepped in front of her.

"Do I now?'' she said and smiled evilly. "Don't forget that with proper stimulation I can be as boring as you" She said at the same time Raven gasped when she saw flashes of memories with Beast Boy laying under her with a bare chest another one of him holding her hands with a frown.

"RAGE, STOP!" yelled another emotion in the far back of the group. She had a purple cloak and a worried expression.

"Who is she…and what did you do?" said Raven wide eyed.

" Never mind that Rae, she's not important right now. I'll go with Rage and we'll help you with Red X" Said Knowledge suddenly and pushed Raven in the direction of the forbidden door"

"Don't worry Rae…" Rage started to say and on the roof, she straighten up from her meditating position at the same time a door opened and revealed Starfire.

The alien, who had left the holding cell room with the idea to make Raven feel better, came at the moment her friend turned around and heard her say "I will take care of this" with her eyes glowing red.

"Eeep!" was all Starfire said at the scary expression Raven had and saw her phase thru the floor.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17. Bitter and sweet news.**

Beast Boy landed on the shore, across the bay, at the edge of the park. Turned back to his human form and wiped away tears he had been shedding ever since he left the tower. Meliah was close behind him.

"Gar, I'm sorry…" She said quietly. He said nothing. She closed her eyes and turned away. The entire scene flashing before her eyes again. He had let go of Raven's hand and came closer and hugged her tight. Something inside her reacted to that and felt her legs wrapping around his torso. That lasted but a couple of seconds, once he realized what she was doing, he pushed away from her, turned the way Raven had been, closed his eyes and whispered her name "Raven".

When he opened them again, gave her a sad, yet angry look. Got up without a word towards the window, jumped and turned into an eagle in mid air. She quickly regain control of herself and followed him.

"Gar…I'm not going to pretend I didn't know what I was doing… I merely want to explain that sometimes, I cant control her impulses" She said softly.

"She's still part of who you are M, you cant let her control you like that" He said as he turned to look at her.

Meliah gasped in surprise "You know?… how?"

"I noticed it before, when Raven was around and then, a few moments ago"

The girl tilted her head in curiosity "You… don't seem surprised… why is that?"

He smiled to himself, images of his encounter with Rage still fresh from a few hours ago. "I've seen it before. Let me talk to her M"

"What?"

"Let me talk to her, find out what she wants"

"I know what she wants Gar, and you don't want to know"

"Then let her tell me, I can take it" Beast Boy said and placed a hand on her shoulder for reassurance.

Meliah took a deep breath and said "As you wish…" then to herself while she closed her eyes "You heard him" She stepped back and that's when he noticed her, for the first time, grow at least three inches, right in front of him. She opened her eyes, crystallized blue again and a smirk played on her face.

"I want you Garfield" That took him by surprise. Didn't expect such a bold declaration. "um.." was all he could say at the moment.

"Lost your courage handsome?… I thought you wanted me to tell you what I really want and I know we are not indifferent to you, so why play games?"

"Look, M… um… is that your name as well?" He said, a bit embarrassed.

"Of course silly, I am her after all" She said playfully, looking at him from head to toes just as she did the first time.

"Right. Um… look, I don't want to hurt your feelings, that is the last thing I want, but you have to understand I don't… like you that way…" He said cautiously not wanting to get into a fight again. However she said nothing, merely cross her arms across her chest and let him talk.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're here, alive when I thought I lost you along with my parents and I love you the same I did before… as a sister… the one I never had… so please, don't misunderstand. I'm here for you and I'll be there with you. We'll find the bastards that hurt you and we'll take care of them the way they deserve. But … don't expect… anything more than that"

"Pity… so you prefer that witch instead of me?" she glared at him. He took a deep breath and said "Please don't call her that…"

"And what about her, does she feel the same way about you?" she said, taking a step towards the green teen "I don't know, all I know is that she didn't like what she saw and that's why she left.. And quite honestly, neither did I"

"Oh c'mon Garfield. You're relying on a crush. That'll take you nowhere"

"Perhaps, but for me is more than a crush M, I really l…"

"DON'T SAY IT!" she yelled and with a swift move kicked his legs, knocking him on the floor where he felt with a thud. Then just as fast, she was on top of him while he was still trying to recover from the fall. when he opened his eyes, she was mere inches away from him. She lower herself to his neck.

"Please M, try to understand" he whispered. Didn't want to hurt her anymore. She had barely run her lips on his cheek when suddenly she sat up, holding her head, eyes tightly closed as if in pain.

"MELIAH, WHAT"S GOING ON" Beast Boy yelled, worried now. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed her shoulders. They were both

kneeling in front of each other now.

"He said, he's not interested… leave him ALONE" She said thru gritted teeth to herself while still holding her head with both hands. Another grunt of pain and then she opened her eyes. Blue again. She was panting, a bit disoriented until she focused on Garfield.

"Gar, I'm sorry… I shouldn't have let her out"

"M, what happened, is she gone?… are you ok?"

"I'm fine and no, she's not gone, but for now she's where she belongs, she wont bother you again"

"I'm just glad you're back" he said and gave her a hug and kissed her scars again.

" Gar, you might want to stop doing that" she said and got up.

"I didn't think it bother you. You know I wished I could make them disappear"

"I know, but they don't, and they get the wrong idea"

"They?" he asked confused.

"Yes…" she said with a smile then pointed at her temple "one right here… and another one that I'm sure is thinking on casting every spell she knows my way."

He gave her a toothy grin and hugged her again. "I'm really glad your back M, I really am…" he let go of her and started to run "Lets go" he said before turning once more into an eagle while she did the same.

..

..

Starfire returned to the holding cell room flying thru the doors. "Friends, something is wrong with Raven…" then she looked around and saw the thief outside of the cell. Her hands and eyes started to glow bright green in anticipation.

"Star, is ok, he has agreed to helps us" Said Raven, holding her hands up in defense.

"Friend Raven, are you the ok?… and are you sure is a good idea to let him out like that?" Said the alien, eyes and hands no longer glowing.

"I'm fine Star and don't worry, I'm sure he'll behave"

"I'm standing right here beautiful and…" Said Red X, crossing his arms over his chest again., but Raven interrupted.

"The name is Raven, and we're wasting time." she snapped. "Lets head to the common room and wait for Beast Boy and Meliah to come back."

"BooYah! Time to finish dinner" Said Cyborg rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Really Cyborg… is that all you can think of at a time like this?" Asked Robin with a frown.

"Hey, I haven't had any food all day thanks to Red boy over here. So yeah, that's all I have in mind at the moment" with that he turned and run to the elevator. A reluctant Red X started to walk next to Raven when Robin stopped her

"Raven may I have a word please"

"You'll tell her to give me the grand tour kid?"

"I'm sure you know your way well enough, otherwise you wouldn't have that suit" snapped Robin.

"C'mon kid, its been years, let it go already"

Robin closed his hands into fists but Raven stepped in between the two. "Enough!, this argument is pointless. X please go upstairs with Cyborg and Starfire."

"Only because you said please" The thief said and grabbed her chin softly.

"Don't push it" She warned while she moved her face away from his hand and placed a hand on Robin's chest to stop him from attacking the thief.

"Whatever you say beautiful" and walked away from them to the elevator where Cyborg and Starfire were waiting.

Once the others left, raven turned to Robin and said "Look, before you admonish me you have to know that whoever had Meliah before, is also after Beast Boy and Red X knows where to find them" She said while pointing at the closed elevator doors.

"What?… how?"

"I don't know and I don't care how he fond out, the point is Beast Boy is in danger while he's outside with her."

"I see, if we can find them before then we'll have the element of surprise on our side. I hope he doesn't change his mind" said robin nodding towards the elevator.

"He wont, he values his freedom way more than the Xenothium he steals." she said and turned ready to walk away when he stopped her again.

"Raven, about earlier…"

"I'll deal with that when the time comes" she simply said and walked away. Robin followed her to the elevator without another word.

Once in the common room, they found a surprising sight. Cyborg cooking as always but also Starfire, giggling while she was twirling around with Red X, holding her fast at her waist to some music of sorts that was softly playing in the background.

"He sure feels at home" Raven said emotionless but with an arched brow.

Robin, who had gasped sharply at the scene, quickly snapped out of it and with a swift move, run and jumped, landing in between the thief and the alien on time to catch her in a tight embrace.

"Is there anything you don't try to steal?" snapped Robin at the thief. Fist ready.

"I didn't know she belong to anybody" taunted the thief.

"Friend Robin, we were only partaking in the dancing, and I must say it is quite enjoyable. How come you have never taken me to dance like this?" was her innocent reply.

"She belongs with me" was Robin's reply to the thief in a whisper. "So stay away from her" then turn to the alien, grabbed her hands and led her to the couch.

"I promise I'll take you dancing as soon as this case is over but please, promise me you'll stay away from him" He pleaded, still holding her hands.

"But why Robin. He has done nothing wrong, merely showing me how to dance and…"

"And he's using you to get on my nerves Star, don't you see it?" he said desperate for an answer other than the one he wasn't ready to give.

"What I see is that you don't see me worthy of anyone's attention, not even yours so if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to my dancing lessons with friend Red X" she said snatching her hand from Robin and got up and headed to the kitchen where Cyborg, Raven and Red X were watching from.

The Boy Wonder just stared at her leave then turned to the window and slapped his hand on his forehead "Real smooth Robin" he whispered to himself.

Flapping of wings interrupted his self admonishment. Beast boy and Meliah landed softly on the carpet next to Robin.

"Dude, what's wrong?" asked Beast Boy, he had seen Robin's expression thru the window right before he entered.

"That happened!" said Robin pointing at the table where the girls were chatting with the thief while Cyborg cooked.

"Duuuude!, why is he here?" Beast Boy said getting everyone's attention.

"Raven has him captive here" answered Robin with a sour expression.

"What do you mean captive, you cant be serious" the green boy said while walking towards the thief. "Is there anything you don't try to steal?" Beast Boy said while stepping in between the girls and Red X.

"Why do you kids keep saying that?" he said while walking around him towards Raven. "And really he sad Captive, not captivated… she has my belt…"

And to prove a point the opened Raven's cloak to show it "See?…" suddenly her eyes glowed white and the thief was encased in her magic and with a quick move of her wrist was thrown across the room.

"Only as leverage" she said. The thief was released on time for him to bounce off the wall and fell gracefully back on the carpet.

"Red X! I'm glad you decided to come after all" Said Meliah across the room.

"Hello kitten. I have some good news and some bad news. More bad than good I'm afraid."

"What do you mean?"

"Good news is I found your mother and her arrangements are close to yours"

"My mother? …You must be mistaken,.. Batman said… the authorities found her body a week ago…. I'm going tomorrow to identify it"

"I saw your mother, difficult to mistake, she looks just like you. They know you're here and they also know Beast Boy is alive"

"There is only one way to find out" Meliah said, turning into a falcon and headed to the window, but was blocked by a black barrier. "Let me out!" she said to Raven once she turned back human.

"You'll be walking into a trap" Said Raven, lowering her hand no longer glowing dark.

"I don't care, I have to see who is in that morgue. Because if is not my mother then I have to get her out of there soon. She wont survive for long. I barely survived myself thanks to my powers, she wont…"

"M, we'll go together. Robin, any chance we can get there tonight instead of tomorrow. the sooner we know the better."

"We can. Here is the plan, Beast Boy, Meliah, Starfire and I will go to the morgue in Gotham. Cybor, Raven and Red X will go to their hiding place and rescue Melia's mother…"

"That's not all Robin, there are more prisoners in that place" Said Red X coming forward.

"What? How many?"

"At least ten girls. For what I understand, its human contraband. Sex slaves, all barely Melia's age."

"Meliah, is this true?" Asked Robin. Meliah's expression was of pain at the memories.

"I never knew how many, or if they were the same. But I always heard screams far away when I wasn't screaming myself" Beast Boy had his hand on her shoulder. Robin nodded once.

"Then Starfire, go with them as well. Regardless of what we find in that morgue, we cant let them suffer anymore. Cyborg, how soon can the T-Ship take off"

"In less than an hour" Said Cyborg heading to the doors.

"Good, I'll let Batman know we're on our way" and with that, all the Titans went their separate ways to get ready. Leaving Red X and Meliah in the common room. She turned to him and without a word hugged him tight.

"Thank you for coming"

"You're welcome" was all he said and hugged her back.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18. Hunted **

The ride to Gotham's morgue was short. Half way there however, the team split to their respective targets. Batman was waiting on the back entrance of the morgue. Having called a few favors to be able to get in late at night.

The walk to the preservation room was silent. Only the steps of the five people down the hallway could be heard. Garfield holding Meliah's hand while she walked straight ahead, numb, her mind blank. Trying not to cry and give in to the trepidation in her heart. But she knew if Garfield wasn't holding her, she would have run ahead already but was also afraid to find what she was hoping was a lie.

Once at the door, the coroner let them in, went straight for the compartment and pulled it open. No one moved. The room was cold and they could see the fog their breathing caused. The lights were dim but bright enough to be able to see detail. The body was covered with a white sheet.

Meliah was shaking but Garfield knew it wasn't from being cold. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and they both walked closer to the open drawer. The coroner, who had been waiting patiently, slowly removed the cover from the cadaver's face.

There she laid. A somber expression. There were cuts and bruises. Lips pale with hints of blue perhaps from drowning or even the cold she was being kept on. Meliah stared. Not a sound but her breath was shaky. Garfield thought that indeed a long time had passed since the last time he had seen Meliah's mother. Older of course, but somewhat different.

"Have you performed an autopsy?" Asked Meliah to the coroner in a monotone much like Raven's.

"No. its policy not to invade a body until is claimed or a decision from the authorities have been taken"

"Did you check for other marks other than the obvious ones?" Asked Meliah, still not looking away from the frozen body.

"Broken ribs, dislocated ankle…"

"Scars?"

"Scars? Yes, as a matter of fact yes. Two large ones into the hairline on the right side of her head"

"What?!" she said and let go of Garfield's hand to get a closer look. Careful not to touch the skin, she moved the hair away from the left ear of the corpse. Then, with a sharp move, turned to the coroner who gasp when he saw the blue orbs disappear into crystal shreds. And in front of him, her nails changed into large claws.

"MELIAH STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" yelled Beast Boy. He knew what the coroner had seen, her eyes changed, and that only meant she was really upset. Saw her intent on the doctor and tried to reach for her hand but she flicked it in such a way that it cut right thru the corpse's left cheek.

"This" she said with disgust and peeled a piece of the frozen piece of skin. When it ripped, it showed another layer of skin with a slightly different tone.

"This is why I asked about the autopsy… this is not my mother" she said to the Batman then turned to the coroner who had gotten over his surprise of her to take a closer look. He put his gloves on and took the discarded piece to the table where the light was the brightest.

"Some kind of … silicon?" mused the doctor, turning it this way and that then looking at it thru a magnifying glass.

"What about the blood, they checked the blood to confirm her DNA." Asked Robin. Garfield had carefully grabbed her hand to steady her shaking. She had her eyes closed.

"Probably the blood was her mother's and once that was confirm there was no more reason to check anymore." said Batman. Suddenly, Meliah opened her eyes, turned on her heels and started to walk out of the room. Beast Boy caught up with her in the hallway, he could hear Robin calling Cyborg in his communicator.

"Wait!" said Robin, he was running towards them. "They found the place Red X had been in, but they're gone. There're traces of fresh blood and warm equipment. They left not too long ago"

"M, wait, where are you going?" asked Beast Boy when Meliah started to walk again.

"To save my mother" she said thru gritted teeth.

"How are you going to find them?" he said while grabbing her by the shoulders.

"The same way I did before" and tried to move away but his grip was strong. "Garfield, let me go! We are wasting time arguing"

"No, its too dangerous. You're planning on using yourself as bait…"

"It worked before"

"And you also got hurt. You almost died. Let us help you."

"Do you have a better idea Garfield?" She glared menacingly. He didn't have an answer but Batman broke the silence.

"We need to move. We are being surrounded" he had pulled a small screen and showed several red dots slowly approaching from all directions.

Meliah gasped at the screen "He's hunting us" and started to breath fast and started to hyperventilate.

"M, what's wrong… who is hunting us?"

"He's cruel… you have no idea… every time …I tried to escape… they sent him after me… Any form of animal that I took… he was prepared for"

"M, we can take him, you have me now. You don't have to fight alone anymore." she calmed down a bit at his words and closed her eyes.

"The darts. Stay away from the darts. They are filled with a power cancelling solution and with my powers severed like that, the sedatives can make effect. She cant come out until the effects fade away but that can take days" she said and opened her eyes, blue again."

"Who is this hunter?" asked Robin, checking the activity outside from behind a curtain. The lights on the parking lot were dim but there was no one in sight yet.

"Alec Natovsky. A poacher. Known to be in the illegal animal contraband. Land, air or water " Answered Batman. "He's the only one I know that uses… suspicious substances to get his prays"

"We need to move, I see them now" Said Robin closing the curtain slowly. Then opened his communicator "Cyborg, do you read me!"

"Loud and clear Robin, we're on our way to the morgue now, we'll be there in a few minutes"

"Make it fast, we're being surrounded. And tell the girls to be careful, they're using power cancelling darts as weapons"

"Roger that. Cyborg out."

"C'mon, lets go to the roof. We can get on the T-Ship from there and…"

"I'm not leaving without my mother" Meliah said standing her ground while the others started to walk towards the stairs.

"M, we wont, but we need to regroup. We don't have enough resources here to find her" with a frown she complied. Run up the stairs along the others.

The roof was dark. A few ventilation domes, pipes that run along the edges and corners. The building was three stories high and gave them ample view of their surroundings. And they could see them now. Men armed aiming in all directions of the building and quite a few aiming to the roof.

In the far distance they saw explosions in the sky. Blue and green lights illuminated their view. The T-Ship was being attacked.

"That's right you piece of animal. There is no one to come and help you. You better come down now or the entire building will be blown to pieces."

The bulky man said. His voice thundering thru the silence. Beast Boy turned into a mouse and climbed the edge to look at their new adversary. He was big, with short blonde hair, combat boots, and a sleeveless shirt to show his overgrown muscles. A belt around his waist with several pockets and another one across his chest with what could be seen as bullets. It reminded Beast Boy to Duke Nukem. Even with the never ending cigar on his mouth and shades but with a heavy accent.

"Dude, that guy came right out of the video game" Beast boy thought out loud when he came back and turned back to his human form.

There was another explosion. Bigger this time. And they could see lights approaching in the sky. This distracted the men for a moment.

"Gar, you said we have no resources here to get my mother. The way I see it, we have plenty down there…" then turned to him the moment her eyes crystallized again then continued "And we only need one" she said with a smirk and turned fast and run to the edge turning into a falcon mid-air. Men started shouting and shooting at the bird but this one glided its way down in a spiral motion avoiding all the darts.

"Meliah!" Beast Boy yelled and jumped after her turning into a T-Rex. The rumbling the ground made when he landed made a few of the men loose their balance and with a swing of his tale, the green dinosaur sent them flying across the parking lot. Meliah had turned into a cheetah right before she landed and was running at full speed jumping on the other men and knocking them down with her claws.

Batman and Robin had jumped off the building on the back side. Darts bounced off Batman's armor and Robin repelled them with his bo staff moving it with his finger at blinding speed. When that resulted futile, the men restored their attack with real bullets. This didn't phased the duo as they approached the men. Rolling on the ground, managed to kicked their legs and hit them on their back or chest. The sound of the T-Ship's turbines was heard above the building and a shower of star bolts came to their aid. Cyborg was busy deflecting the cannons aimed at the T-Ship.

On the front of the building, Beast Boy had turned into a gorilla, jumping and running around the men, trying to get their guns. Meliah, who was in full use of her powers now, turned into a anaconda and wrapped herself around the panicked men that didn't expect such a display of animals in one night. The hunter however, had run to the trees nearby and was aiming at Meliah, but Raven, who had sensed the man lurking in the shadows, appeared behind him and with her dark energy, encased him and threw him against a tree.

But more men were coming out of the forest. Whatever explosion they had created earlier had managed to drive them out their way and more armed men, either bullets or darts, were aiming at the two changelings who so far had been agile enough to avoid them. Raven had come out of the trees and using her magic, was throwing rocks or dumpsters to their attackers. At some point she was blocking bullets on one side and stopped darts in the air from the other side. She was distracted and didn't see the hunter aim at her with what looked like a machine gun. Beast Boy and Meliah saw him and his target but this time Beast Boy was too far and Meliah had lunched herself to the hunter as a gorilla but he had already shot a few rounds.

All in slow motion happened in seconds. Beast boy run with all his might towards Raven who was still too far from him, Raven had heard the gun go off and had turned the direction of the noise. She didn't see the bullets but saw a huge gorilla fall on the hunter and at that moment she was knocked down on the floor and someone was over her protecting her with their body while the bullets sped past them over their heads.

"Are you ok beautiful?" asked Red X after the bullets stopped. It was the first time she had been saved by someone else other than Beast Boy. She looked at him wide eyed.

"I'm fine, thank you" she said and pushed him off her the moment they heard guns being reloaded. She got to her feet and lifted a dark shield in front of them. Feet spread open and arms extended straight ahead almost over her head as beast boy had come in within range.

"I can help" he said behind her on her ear. "Take it!" she ordered and he came in front of her in between her spread arms, her eyes glowing white. He seemed to be looking straight at them while he circled her waist with his hands looking for the clasp. "Don't make me regret it X" she said thru gritted teeth trying not to loose her concentration on the shield. He took the belt off her hip and placed it on his waist and softly grabbed her chin and said "Never dreamed of it beautiful" and disappeared the moment Beast Boy was at her side.

"What was that for?" he asked, he looked angry. She wasn't sure what he was referring to "Focus !" she said and lower the shield enough to encase the guns of the remaining man. Red X had used his arsenal of rubbery Xs and trapped the majority of them. "Not bad" she said out loud.

"You can't be serious!. How can you let him…" Beast boy started to say. He was angry and it hurt to realize it but he was also jealous. But the moment he started to speak, Raven's eyes glowed red and turned to him.

"Don't even go there Beast Boy, why don't you go bother the one that likes to put her legs around you" This took him by surprise. Rage seemed to be in full command and now she was angry at him. But she shook her head and brought her fingers to her temples and eyes no longer red said "Beast Boy go, she's in trouble". With that he stepped back and was about to go when the hunter spoke up again.

"You simple minded creatures. You think you can bring me down that easily? Ha! Think again. Look what I got" he said while walking out from the trees and pulling and unconscious Meliah by the hair. With a collar around her neck.

"MELIAH!" called Beast Boy but got no answer.

"I like how you think, like an animal…" He gave him an evil grin "but I hunt animals for a living so every time you will fall in my trap"

The others had gathered next to Raven and Beast Boy. "LET HER GO ALEC!"

"Ha! I see you know who I am little man. Well, if you want your friend back you are going to have to do as I say"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" Yelled Beast Boy. Angry and frustrated.

"You of course, to add to my collection. So the pretty kitty here has someone to play with. In fact it will be interesting to see you play together. I am much curious to know what kind of puppies we'll get from you two. I already have high offers."

"YOU SICK MANIAC WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT…"

"Oh but I don't think… I know you will do it. I will make sure of it." interrupted the hunter with a grin.

"AND WHAT IF I DON'T?" Beast Boy yelled. At that moment Meliah started to gain consciousness and fell the pain at her hair being pulled. "Let me go you idiot!" she struggled to get free but he just pulled her more. She tried to morph into anything but to no avail.

"HA! don't even try it or you will hurt yourself. What you have on is a power cancelling collar. Specially for you and don't worry. Your friend here will make you company"

"LET HER GO"

"NO!…but I have a better suggestion. You better come here and come with us willingly or…" he said and pulled up to stand by the hair and pulled a razor sharp hunting knife to her neck. "She will not live beyond tonight"

Beast Boy was furious but felt useless. He had no choice but to comply. His nails were digging into the palms of his hands but he ignored the pain and closed his eyes and in between deep ragged breaths he said "Fine, I'll come"

"Beast Boy, NO!. Don't" Yelled Meliah but the hunter had grabbed her by the neck and she couldn't breath.

"I said I'll come.. don't hurt her anymore"

"Beast Boy!" Yelled Raven and made the attempt to move, her dark energy encircling her fists.

"No, no, no… don't even try your tricks… Look around you. One step out of place and you wont even know what hit you" The hunter said. They looked around and confirmed what he said. Silently and at some point, there were hundreds of armed men aiming at them. Even if they tried to attack there was no way they could move far. Even Raven knew her energy barrier wouldn't withstand that kind of attack for very long.

Beast Boy walked slowly towards the hunter who motioned for him to stop "Take your belt off. No pockets or communicator devices" another man came to make sure he wasn't concealing any weapons and with a sign the hunter gave him, he placed another collar on Beast Boy's neck. Tied his hands tight behind his back while the hunter did the same with Meliah. Then pushed her and fell on her knees next to the green Titan who was now also on his knees.

"If any of you even think on follow us, I can promise you this. You wont see…" He said while getting two syringes out of one of the pockets on his belt and from another a small bottle with a brownish color. "Your friends…" filled out the syringes one by one "Ever again" and with that, injected the liquid on each on their necks. They fell to the ground unconscious.

He called two of his men to pick them up and walked away. A few of the armed men followed the hunter and his pray but a great number stayed, still aiming at the superheroes and the thief. They watched a chopper lift off from its hiding place within the trees and fly over their head behind the building until the noise of the turbines faded in the distance.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello everyone. i'm very sorry for the delay. i must admit i got a bit of writter's block and was stuck half way the first paragraph. i also want to say that there are things i like to read about but feel uncomfortable writting about at the moment.. at least for my first story ... so , in light of that, i have left a few details to your vivid imagination. **

**i also want to thank everybody for reading and stick with me this far. i really appreciate the reviews and sugestions as to how the developement could be. And apologize in case some of the characters seem...well... out of character, but is momentary and for the purpose of the chapters in which they appear. Anyway, enough rambling, here is chapter 19. **

**Chapter 19. Pain **

The chopper had disappeared in the distance, but the building behind them made it difficult to discern which direction and with the dozens of armed men aiming at them made it almost impossible to even attempt to move. They had orders that as soon as the chopper was out of range, to kill them all. When the moment came, they all got their weapons ready but the moment the men started to shoot, a dome of black energy formed over them protecting them from the barricade of bullets coming from all directions.

Raven had assumed her earlier position but was sweating from the exertion. She could feel the pressure of the attack and her powers draining. Cyborg started to shoot at the men from the T-Ship hovering above them, giving them a distraction

"QUICKLY, GRAB ONTO ME, I CANT KEEP IT UP MUCH LONGER! She yelled at the others who came running behind her. The dome shrinking over them. Red X grabbed onto her waist while holding Starfire's hand. Batman, who was a bit suspicious, hesitated for a second before Starfire grabbed his hand, her hold stronger than what he expected. Robin however, was hesitating. It worry him seeing Raven to the point of exhaustion due to her power draining.

"Raven , are you sure…?"

"DO YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA?" she snapped feeling faint already and her body weak. Red X felt her tremble slightly.

"Raven, will you be ok?" the thief asked in her ear.

"We'll find out….ROBIN… NOW!" Robin quickly put his hand on her shoulder , throwing a quick look at the thief's hand holding Starfire's then glared at Red X while Raven chanted her mantra out loud "AZARATH, METRION, ZINTHOS!". At that moment, Cyborg noticed the energy dome started to spiral around the group, shrink and started to disappear into itself. The men then resumed their attack on the vanishing vortex. Cyborg decided to throw smoke grenades and once the sensors in the panel showed they were gone, he threw gas grenades around, intercepted a couple of missiles aimed at the T-Ship and with one last blast, incapacitated their larger weapons while one by one, the men fell unconscious and he made his way away from there.

Two miles east, on a small clearing at a nearby wooded area, a vortex of dark energy formed and quickly disappeared, showing five figures in the dark. Raven fainted the moment her dark energy vanished and fell limp against Red X who let go of the alien to catch the sorceress before she hit ground.

"Raven!" Said Robin kneeling next to them. But his communicator went off, when he flipped it open, saw Cyborg on the screen. "You guys ok? I lost track of you for a minute."

They were still close enough to see the smoke rising above the trees not too far away. "We're fine but Raven fainted. We're about two miles east from the morgue. it's a small clearing"

"Got you on radar now, I'm on my way. Cyborg out."

Batman then called him over to where he was a few feet away. "Is she ok?" he asked. To anyone it would have sounded like a dry and cold question but Robin recognized the tone as one of concern.

"I think so. She's just exhausted from using her powers so much in so little time. Teleporting more than one person at the time is particularly draining for her" he said looking at her from afar.

"But she does it anyway" he sounded accusing.

"Only because she saw no other way out and quite honestly, neither did I" He turned to his mentor and felt the need to defend her.

"I'm not accusing her Dick, I'm just trying to make sense of what just happened. Magic is not something I'm used to deal with. And why is the thief so attached to her? How did you get him to help you in the first place?"

"That's Raven's doing. She offered him a deal he couldn't refuse. And before you ask… yes, I trust her judgment."

"What did she…"

"Bruce.. Is it really the time for this? And why are you questioning me about what goes on with my team? We have bigger issues at hand."

At that moment the T-Ship landed at the edge of the clearing. Cyborg quickly got out with what seemed to be a first aid kit. He hurried towards Raven who, at the moment was being held by Red X but let it pass being her health the priority. He tapped a few keys on the keyboard built in his arm and a small screen appeared. Her vitals were displayed as he run a scan over her body. Starfire knelt next to Raven and softly run a hand over her forehead.

"Her skin is cold. Is that normal?" she asked with a worried expression.

After a moment of silence, Cyborg spoke. "She'll be fine. She used her powers to the max, she just needs to rest" He told her with a faint smile, trying to ease her worries.

"Then why is she still out?" interrupted the thief. But Cyborg eyed him suspiciously and said "Why the sudden interest? Since when are you the concerned type… since when are you concerned for her?"

Red X sighed and looked straight at him. "Since she saved my life more than once now… Look, I know I'm not your friend, but I'm not your enemy. I mean no harm to any of you." he said while looking down at the sorceress for a moment then back at the mechanical man. "The least I can do is make sure she's ok"

Cyborg was about to reply but Starfire put her hand on his shoulder "Friend, is it possible to put our differences aside for the time being? We have more important things to worry about." she said trying to sooth his temper.

"Starfire is right, first we need to get away from here before those mercenaries find out we're still in the vicinity." Said Robin walking towards them with Batman.

"What about Raven? She needs medical treatment" said the thief, picking her up in his arms.

"We'll take her to the Bat cave, she'll have all the medical treatment she needs there" when he saw the thief's hesitation and the tilt of his head as if questioning him, he continued. "you can come as well. I understand the Titans trust her judgment regarding you so I guess that will have to be enough for now… so don't disappoint her" he said this last with a menacing look. The thief nodded once and proceeded to follow Starfire to the T-Ship where she picked up Raven's limp body into one of the compartments after Red X teleported himself inside to receive her again. This time he was seated and held her on his lap as if cradling a baby.

Cyborg and Robin watched him all the while with astonishment. "If she finds out about this we'll all be sent to another dimension. Him for doing it and us for allowing it." whispered Cyborg over his shoulder to the others.

...

...

The chopper landed on the roof of an abandoned building fifteen miles east from where it took off. Beast Boy had started to wake up, but was confused by the noise of the propellers so loud. He was disoriented and a headache was becoming more persistent. The cold breeze came hard on his face and he could see outside. Then he remembered what was going on. He heard feet running around and voices trying to overcome the noise then a strong arm came over his head and pulled him by the collar. He couldn't breath for a few desperate minutes then was thrown on the floor. It was dark on the rooftop and couldn't make up the faces. For a moment he looked around the open sky and thought to himself " how close to freedom yet not quite". he tried to turn into a gorilla but nothing happened. He tried a couple more times but to no avail. This time, he heard a cynical laugh hovering over him.

"Try all you want little man but as long as you wear that collar.. You're mine… take them inside!"

He was pulled up on his feet and pushed thru a door. For a moment was blinded by the sudden bright light. The air was stale and muggy. Garfield looked around and saw a long corridor with cement floor and faded yellow walls before him. Saw behind him and noticed a camera on top of the door they had just gone thru and another one half way in the hallway. One of the men pushed him again and started to walk. He saw at least four more besides the poacher. One of them carrying an unconscious Meliah over his shoulder. Her body limp and had bruises and scratches all over her arms. A gushing wound on her torso which seemed not to be too serious since blood had started to dry up. But then he looked down to her face and covered by her hair was a faint smirk then she winked at him. He muffled a gasp, he could have sworn her eyes were crystal blue again.

He wondered what was she thinking. But realized that part of her plan had been to be captured again and she must know something he didn't. So he kept looking around. The corridor was somewhat narrow and at the end of it was a metal door guarded by a man with a medium size gun hanging from his shoulder and another camera above the door.

He decided that he was going to buy some time and distract them enough "but how?" he thought to himself. "What would Raven do?" he thought again. He lingered in that thought. The memory of her soft body beneath him that night. He had been sore and even somewhat scared … well no, he had been terrorized to find out if she was mad at him, but it all had been worth it after she kissed him.

He even remember his little encounter with Rage but then remembered how familiar Red X had been with her. In less than twenty four hours, the wretched thief had been able to get a whole lot closer than he ever dared to and she wasn't blasting him off across the field. True, she had been a bit busy at the moment holding up a shield to protect everybody from the bullets but she hadn't snapped at the thief the way she had done with him.

Oh, he was mad now, to think that the so called villain was out there close to her and not him and oh how he wanted to pummel the thief to the ground.

He even imagined himself, one foot over Red X's chest with an air of superiority and Raven running to him and clinging to his neck, kissing him repeatedly and calling him her hero. Of course he realized that last part was plain daydreaming now. The chances of such scenario where Rave would react like that were from less than slim to a rotund and definite none. "But I'll definitely kick his butt" he thought to himself .

By then however they had reached the metal door. The guard with the gun opened it for them and he was shoved once more. "Ok, ok, I'm going." he said. Once inside, he stopped short at the sight. On the left side it was a lab/torture chamber like place. With monitors, cables and hospital beds and surgery tables. On the other side a cage almost as tall as the room they were in and occupied half the space. At the far end there was a double door and there seemed to be more to the room behind the cage.

The man carrying Meliah went straight to the cage dropped her on a small bed at the far end of the cage. That's when she sprinted to her feet and tried to strangle the man with the chain that held her hands tied. But she was still too weak from the sedatives and her attack was blocked easily and she was thrown back to the bed.

"MELIAH!" Garfield yelled and tried to go to her but he was contained easily as well. With hands and feet closely tied in chains, didn't allowed him mush room to move so he was knocked down again but only felt to the floor.

"You stupid creature, when are you going to understand that I am the one in charge here. I say when you can move …" Beast Boy tried to say something but Alec came closer and punched him on the left cheek. "And I say when you can talk"

"Leave him alone you sick bastard!" Yelled Meliah from inside the cage, a drop of blood running down the side of her face from her right eyebrow.

"You have some nerve to talk to me like that but I know how to make you shut up" Alec pressed a button on a device he had in his hand and an electric shock emanated from the collards that both changelings were wearing. Grunts of pain escaped them as they twisted and turned on the floor for interminable seconds.

"Ha!, no need to cook you up yet. First to what we came for" and he motioned one of the man to pick up the green changeling and throw him in the cage. With push of another button, the cage closed and their chains fell to the floor. A magnetic wand retrieved the metal cuffs from across the floor and another man shot more darts. One to each one in the cage. Meliah was kneeling next to Garfield who had hit his head with the bars.

They both felt the prickle of the darts and immediately their vision was clouded. Beast Boy felt panic and started to sweat. Meliah, having being treated the same way before, knew what to expect so she remained as calm as she could manage. The men outside the cage started to laugh and started to walk away. But Beast Boy regained his sight and after rubbing his eyes in discomfort he said.

"So this is it? You're gonna put us to sleep again? is that your grand plan? And what is all this for?"

"Sleep? Ha!, sleep is the last thing you're going to do in the next few hours little man. And all this… is part of the plan"

"Plan huh? And who do you work for Alec? Cause I don't think you have the slightest idea of how to operate any of this machinery" Beast Boy taunted. Sweat running down the back of his neck now. Then he saw Meliah shake her head in her hands, she was also having trouble breathing. He quickly went to her side but she refused him.

"Stay away Gar.. You need to stay away until the effects of the darts disappear" she whispered, still not looking at him.

"Why M, what's going on? I don't understand…" then a sharp pain in his midsection left him breathless. He staggered back, hunched over, hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. "What… is…going…on… why.. Cant I… breath…" his heart was beating twice as fast and made him feel light headed.

"Alec you fucking asshole, give him the antidote…NOW!" she was still holding her head, eyes closed and trying to overcome the splitting headache that had suddenly exploded making her see red in rage.

"Now, now. You know that insults wont get you anywhere… besides, you very well know what the antidote is…" Alec had come closer to the cage, resting his arms on the bars. She was just a few feet away.

"I don't know what you're talking about" she yelled back.

"Oh c'mon, like you haven't seen it before. You have refused the other trials before but you have one you like now… besides, is up to you to save him…" before he even finished, she had jumped at the bars and grabbed him by the hair and with all her might, pulled him towards the bars making a loud clank noise. His shades broke, along with his nose and a red bruise across his forehead could now be seen. She felt back on the floor the moment he managed to press the button on the remote he still had on his hand, sending another shock wave to the collars. The other men tried to come closer yelling and screaming but Alec turned around and said "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

The men fell quiet when they heard her laugh while she got up. When Alec saw her, almost all color left him. Her eyes were crystallized blue for a few seconds.

"You're an imbecile!" and made her way to him again but he was faster this time and moved out of her reach and pressed another button. This time, a metal sheet in between each bar was raised closing all possible exits. The vent above the cage was the only air conduct and small traces of light from the lamps outside made it in between the cracks.

She could hear them laughing again and one of them threw something at the cage making it echo in great magnitude inside. They both covered their ears. After the noise had subsided, Alec yelled from the other side "Who's laughing now bitch!" and left.

Meliah could barely see around the cage and Garfield had managed to straighten up enough to rest against the make shift walls.

"Meliah… are you…ok?" he said in between breaths.

"I'm fine… how are you feeling?" she said quietly.

"I feel like… my heart is.. About to… explode… What did…he do … to me?"

"a shot… of … adrenaline and … something else … not sure what" she felt her breath failing her. The headache was worse and felt nauseous.

"He said… you knew … the antidote…what is it…"

"I'm not… sure… all I know is… that you need to… release that energy…somehow… or you can… suffer a … heart attack"

"He said you… had seen it work… whatever it is… just do it"

She took a deep breath trying to sooth her headache. Then she heard him grunt in pain, she looked the direction where his voice had come from and she could make out his silhouette and saw him slide down against the wall holding his knees close to his chest.

Beast Boy had never felt such overwhelming pain. A feeling of anxiety and desperation was taking over him. The pain on his abdomen and specially his genitals, had him at the brink of tears. The only thought that crossed his mind before passing out was Raven.

He could hear muffled sounds and a far away voice calling his name. urging him to wake up but was so dizzy and light headed he was giving up. But suddenly he felt a faint cold then warm sensation. He was sensitive to the touch and felt wrong for some reason. After a few minutes the heat overwhelmed his body and was sweating and all the built up sensation was so painfully released that made him cry out in agony, at the same time, a savage jerk on his neck made him throw his hands over his head before hitting the floor but was too weak to fight and felt his hands being pushed back to the ground.

Slowly his heartbeat returned to a somewhat normal rhythm and the weight pinning him down was slowly lifted. He was confused but the same muffled voice urged him now to sleep. And although deep down he knew there was danger around, he had no choice but to give in the darkness.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20. Reality check**

The superheroes and the thief arrived at the bat cave to a waiting Alfred. Batman had sent him a message once it was decided and now the older man was ready to receive them with refreshments and medical tools and instruments to aid them with their injuries. A hospital bed was ready for Raven who was still unconscious from the exertion of using her powers to the extreme.

Starfire flew over where Red X was carrying Raven and offered her help when she noticed the thief walking with a slight limp but refused and insisted on carrying her himself. Once Raven was on the bed, Cyborg and Alfred tended to her injuries and hooked an IV on her arm to help her replenish her body and speed her healing process. Once she was taken care of, Alfred took a look at the thief and said "Evening sir… that's a nasty wound you have on your leg. Would you mind following me this way, I must tend to it before it gets infected."

"Its nothing, I'm ok" Stepping away from the meddling butler. But the older man wouldn't have a no for an answer "Nonsense young man, that limp tells a different story"

"You should listen to Alfred. Right now you're in no position to argue or condition to fight and… I hate to admit it but… we need you." Robin said swallowing his pride. Having realized the seriousness of the situation and that one of his teammates was in grave danger.

" ha!, You're begging now. That's priceless" mocked the thief, crossing his arms over his chest. Robin set his jaw tight, getting angrier by the minute. Apparently the wretched thief didn't have a care or concern in the world.

"I'm not. But if not for the team, at least do it for her" Robin said thru gritted teeth pointing at Raven on the bed. "You said it yourself, she risked her life to save us, including you so the least you can do is help us find them!" he almost yelled and glared at the thief. Then in a quieted tone Robin added "She wont take it well if something happens to him" said while looking at the unconscious girl for a moment.

"You care that much?" Red X asked. Not mocking anymore.

"Yes, I care about my friends enough to do anything within my power to make sure they're ok, and right now I have two of them in grave danger, so I'll say it one last time …"

"You don't have to, I get it" . Robin glared at the thief once more and turn around and started to walk away.

"Robin" The thief called out. Robin stopped on his tracks and looked over his shoulder. "What?"

"Here" the thief said holding a small device on his hand and offering it to Rodin. "I was planning on going anyway. I'm just not used to the whole "team work" thing you have going on" Robin turned around and eyed the electronic device with suspicion "What is it?"

"it's a tracking device" Answered Batman speaking for the first time since they came back to his lair. "where did you managed to put it. They searched both of them before taking off, they would have fount it by now"

"None of them. I attached it on the mercenary's belt. but halfway here it stopped and lost signal. Either they're out of range or deep underground. You should be able to get a lock on the last coordinates"

"Well done" was all Batman said. Robin took the device from him and nodded towards Alfred who had been waiting patiently, to take care of his wounds while he and Batman headed to the super computer, plugged in the device and started to trace and map out the coordinates and nearby locations.

Reluctant, Red X started to walk to the bed when he noticed Raven's body, floating a few inches above the bed. "What the… what's happening to her?" he asked with real concern in his voice.

Cyborg was about to reply but locked eyes with Starfire who was giving him a "Drop it!" warning look when she saw his intention. He sighed and rephrased his answer " She's in a healing trance. Her powers allow her body to regenerate and recharge wasted energy. It wont be long before she wakes up" Red X watched in astonishment how some of her visible scratches and bruises disappeared in front of his eyes. Alfred came to his side once more "This way Mr. … Red X? Correct?" the thief nodded once and follow Alfred towards the nearby hospital bed.

The older man put gloves on and started to tend to his injuries. The gushing wound on his right leg being the worst one "Needs stitches" said Alfred before pulling a syringe with anesthesia "to numb the area around the wound while I close it back up" said Alfred when he saw the young man flinch at the sight of the small syringe. Red X tried to insist he was fine and that he could even do it himself, but of course the butler wouldn't have any of it "Nonsense young man, allow me while you rest" Having enough experience with "rebel youngsters" as he called them, didn't wait for approval and pushed the syringe into his leg.

Instinctively, the thief reached for the device of his belt that allowed him to teleport but after pressing the button a few times, realized it was useless.

"Oh don't worry young man, you'll be as good as new in no time" said a cheery Alfred not looking up from his task. He was now stitching and closing the wound. And even though it didn't actually hurt because of the sedative, it still felt uncomfortable and was wondering why his belt suddenly didn't work.

"Did you do this?" Red X asked while still pressing the button repeatedly. A mix of confusion, aggravation and disbelief in his voice. "Of course" said the older man finishing up and cutting the thread. "When… how…"

"I've learned a trick or two over the years…" Alfred said while placing a clean gauze and a bandage around the wound. Robin, who was half way across the cave on the nearby computer smirked in satisfaction. Seeing how not even the elusive thief, could escape Alfred when he put his mind into it. That's when Alfred turned to him and nodded to him with a knowing smile. Robin turned his attention back to the screen in front of him and pretended he didn't see.

"You know he can tell when you're injured from a mile away . Don't try to hide it or you'll give him a reason to hunt you down, and as I recall… you didn't like that" said Batman quietly from his seat, never looking away from his task. "Don't remind me. I think he could even find Slade if he wanted to"

"There you go, as good as new, just as I promised" said Alfred to Red X who was flexing his leg in the air while still sitting on the bed. Alfred was putting away his surgical tools when the thief spoke more quietly "Do you know who I am? … what I do for a living?" he asked, a hint of shame in his voice.

" Most definitely,"

"And yet, you treat me as if I was one of them… I mean no disrespect. I really appreciate what you've done for me but….why?" The butler gave him a soft smile and said while resuming his task. "Because I'm no one to judge and because I believe everyone deserves a second chance as well as I refuse to believe that you are beyond redemption." and with that walked away towards a door at the far corner.

In the main time, Robin made his way towards Starfire who was standing close to Cyborg. In silence, no spark in her eyes. She seemed to be watching Raven breath but then she closed her eyes and a single tear run down her cheek.

"Star, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" he asked softly, but she snapped out of her cloud and quickly wiped away her cheek with the palm of her hand. "nothing is wrong, I am just sad for… for friend Beast boy. I hope we can get him back soon. Even if she will not show it, I know Raven would be very happy to see him back and well… wouldn't you agree?"

"I guess so, I wouldn't …. Raven!" Robin exclaimed and made his way next to the bed. She was no longer floating in midair and was now waking up.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, the lights above her were too bright for her liking. The first thing she focused on was the people in front of her. Other people's emotions were stronger than her own and the waves emanating from Starfire were the strongest. She was sad and Raven could sense a hint of loneliness and depression. Cyborg was on her left side, checking on monitors and unhooking them from her body but overall he was calm, if at all, stressed and a bit annoyed. Robin however, was on her right side, he was stretching over her to dim the lights a little. Then felt his hand over hers. A wave of jealousy hit her hard and couldn't help but notice Starfire stepping back with a sad look on her face. Raven was confused at first. Why was Starfire acting up the way she was but then Robin spoke to her and that's when she noticed his hand on hers. She quickly pulled hers and narrowed her eyes.

"Raven, how you feeling?" he asked not even noticing Starfire's retreat. She then looked at Cyborg who was shaking his head. She tried to sit up but Robin stopped her and pushed her back by the shoulders against the pillow.

"Robin…what… are you doing?" Raven hissed and sat up abruptly.

While they talked, Starfire made her way towards the thief and timidly sat down next to him while he was getting ready to get up. He stopped mid step and turned to her. Her eyes cast down and seemed to be holding back tears. "What's the matter gorgeous?"

"Are you also going to check on friend Raven?'' she asked softly. He thought it was an odd question, wasn't she her friend, wasn't she worried that Raven had been unconscious for way too long? doesn't she care the same way Robin… wait a minute, he thought.

"Is this about Robin? I thought you told him you were worried about Beast Boy"

"That is true, I am worried about him as well but… sometimes… I would like to be more like her" she said, nodding once towards Raven.

"A sorceress?"

"No… a little more… fragile"

"Fragile?. What do you mean, fragile?"

"We tamaraneans don't get hurt as easily as humans do"

"And you want to…get hurt? Why? Don't you risk yourself enough fighting bad guys like me?"

A faint smile appeared before she spoke "you are not a bad guy, you are just… misguided. But no, I don't."

"Star, are you jealous of Raven? I thought she was your friend, that you would be happy that she's being taken care of while she's hurt."

"You misunderstand friend. Of course I'm happy she's being taken care of and feeling better but… sometimes, I would like to get the attention she gets. She is the one who speaks the least and yet… is the one they know better" She took a deep breath, pursed her lips and while she wiped her tear away, she gave him a forced smile. "Forgive me, I do not wish to bother any longer" then she got up next to him and without warning, gave him a bone crushing hug. "But I wish to thank you for saving Raven's life earlier"

The thief could barely hear her words as he was trying to breath without much success. "Star… can't … breath" he finally was able to say. She giggled while she let go of him "Forgive me, but that's how we tamaraneans show our appreciation"

Across the room, Robin had been stealing glances at the alien and the thief while they talk close to each other. Too close for his comfort. Then saw her hug the annoying thief. He gasped and turned his head sharply towards Raven who had been talking to him the entire time, but he had lost track of their conversation the moment he noticed Starfire walk away towards Red X.

"Robin? Are you even listening to me?" Raven said with a frown.

"Now she's hugging him?.. What next? Bring him to live in the tower with us?" he said upset, out loud more to himself than to anybody else, not noticing Raven's eyes started to glow red.

"And how is that relevant?"

"How?.. I tell you how… she's hugging a thief, or what, did you forget what he is?"

"No, I haven't. But if she wants to hug him, let her!. She's free to do whatever she wants with whomever she wants. She doesn't belong to anyone … you lost your chance… get over it!" she said thru gritted teeth.

"Get over it?… how can I get over it. He's just trying to take advantage…"

"You're such an idiot!… if you want to blame someone, blame yourself"

"Me? What did I do?"

"It's what you haven't done…" she said then took a deep breath before she lost her temper completely. "you might think he's doing something just to annoy you, but you know what? Not everything evolves around you Robin"

"What are you saying Raven? Are you actually ok with his advances?"

"Were you born an idiot or you just… pretend to be one just to annoy everybody? … he's doing exactly what she expected **you **to do all along, with the difference that he's doing it without being told and that is what makes her happy. Why should I not be ok with that?"

"But I thought…"

"You thought what?… that by ignoring her or avoiding her advances you were gonna keep her interested in you?… that by being attentive to someone else while holding my hand in front of her was gonna keep her waiting for you to realize she's there? … that she's been there, next to you all along"

"But I was worried about you and…"

"And so was Cyborg and even Red X, but unfortunately for her, she's interested in you but sometimes, you don't want to see reason even when is right in front of you!" she was glaring at him while slowly, her word were sinking in and he stopped talking. He was looking into her eyes, the ones that he finally noticed were blazing red.

"Robin!" called Batman from the computer where he and Cyborg had been working on ever since Raven woke up. Robin turned to raven and nodded once, then headed to the computer.

"I couldn't have said it better myself" said Alfred quietly to Raven who was startled the moment he spoke and turned sharply to him. "Oh my…" said Alfred after taking notice of her glowing red eyes. After blinking a few times, her eyes became normal again. "Forgive me Alfred, but sometimes he aggravates me beyond reason"

"Oh, no need to apologize miss Raven, I'm just glad he has someone to tell him to his face when he's failing and keep him grounded when he needs to be" Raven arched an eyebrow at his comment and he smiled before continuing "Don't get me wrong, I love them both like the son and grandson I never had, but lets face it, subtleties do not work with them" and walked away without a word.

"Gather round y'all! We have news" Cyborg's booming voice was heard loud and clear.

"You have good news, yes?" asked Starfire with hope.

"Yes, but I'm afraid we have bad news as well" said Cyborg turning on his chair.

"Please, what are the good news"

"We found the location where BB and Meliah are being held captive."

"Bad news is, they're on the move… on a cargo ship headed towards the mid Atlantic" Said Batman in a grave tone.

"What!? Then lets go now. We cant waist time" Said Raven already levitating and eyes glowing white, ready to leave.

" We cant just brake in. They're not alone. Besides the great number of other armed mercenaries surrounding the ship, the satellite pictures show they have other hostages also being transported." said Cyborg turning back to the computer and after pressing a few keys, showed the live video he was talking about.

The vessel was the kind used by the air force. With enough space on deck to sit at least ten planes There were cages of all sizes all over and two choppers at the far end and right in the middle was a metal box.

"Quiet!… I have been able to hack into their communication system… listen to this…"

"_Alec, are you sure you have them both?"_

"_Aye mate. And I got the scientist too. I got all you wanted, where's my money?"_

"_My men are already on their way to meet you"_

"_So why the interest on those freaks anyway… I've done some bad shit in my day, but what you're planning its just… sick"_

"_I didn't know you were the concerned type… not that is your business but.. Lets just say a family reunion is in place" _

"_What the fuck!…" _

Suddenly the communication was cut off and they immediately saw the screen. Out of the metal box came two dinosaurs, one green, one almost white wrecking havoc on the deck.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21. Freedom?**

Beast Boy woke up to a splitting headache. It was dark and too warm. He tried to look around to make out his surroundings and saw Meliah laying down on the floor across the cage. He crawled his way to her. She was laying on her side, her back to him.

"M… Meliah… wake up. Are you ok?" he whispered and softly tried to shake her shoulders. She woke up with a start, looking around her until she saw him. She threw her arms around his neck and started to cry.

"Gar!, Gar, how are you feeling? Are you ok?" She said when she leg go of him.

"I have a headache and I'm nauseous, but other than that I think I'm ok. What happened to me M?… I cant remember much, only that it hurt to even move"

"That sick bastard, he… never mind, you're ok now, that's all that matters"

"Meliah? . What really happened? … I think I heard you call my name but… did you do something?" For some reason he felt embarrassed, not sure what he was trying to ask and even worse, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Meliah heard his hesitation, but she was too embarrassed herself to even remember. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and said " Gar… do you trust me?" she asked softly.

"Of course, but…"

"Then trust me when I tell you that what I did, it was to save your life, just … don't ask what… ok? And when your friends find us, tell Cyborg to run more test on you to make sure that … whatever was in your system, is out"

"M, I trust you no matter what. And they are our friends, not only mine…"

'Gar? Just promise me that you'll never ask or think about it… just…" she sounded desperate. Whatever it was, she was ashamed. He could tell.

"Ok, ok, I promise…" Not sure what to think, or what to say he fell silent for a minute. " Are you…hurt?" he asked in the lowest whisper he could manage. She took a deep breath and after a few minutes of silence, she said just as low "Nothing that time wont heal". But when he tried to put his hand on her shoulder, she moved away slowly. It took a lot for her not to jerk away from him. At first he felt hurt. He would never hurt her. Surely she knew that, but when he was about to voice his thoughts, they heard muffled voices approaching. Laughing boisterously along with other noises.

"_Shut up you idiot, they'll hear you" _

"_Don't worry about it mate, that cage is reinforced in and out. They wont be able to understand what we're saying" _Said a second man and with his knuckles, knocked a few times on the metal cage to prove his point. A muffled echo was heard inside. At the bottom of the wall in front of them, they could see some stray light that had managed to get thru small cracks. The ones that at some point, she made before while trying to escape but they neglected to fix. And so they could see the passing shadows of the men outside.

"_if they're still alive that is" _added the first man then laughed some more.

"_They better be alive or the boss wont be happy. He wants them in good health at the time of the exchange" _

"_Right, right. What time are we leaving?"_

"_The ship leaves in two hours, we have that much to…" _

"_Why are you idiots still here. This cage should've been loaded and on its way to the docks thirty minutes ago. Get your sorry asses moving, GO! GO! GO!" _It was Alec, barking orders as always Meliah thought to herself.

Then, his cell phone rang "_Hey boss.. Yeah, yeah, everything is ready. We're loading the cage with the freaks right now… yeah, the doctor is already onboard… of course we got the right one… yeah the one with the scars and…" _the rest of the conversation was interrupted by the loud noise of a crane and the cage started to sway slightly making them loose their balance.

Beast Boy, who was still dizzy, fell against the wall and slid back on the floor and instinctively reached behind his neck to massage a sore spot and that's when he realized with a gasp.

"M! the collar is gone… we need to get out and…"

"Gar wait!, we cant escape just yet" she said while grabbing his shirt to sit him back down.

"What do you mean not yet"

"If we interrupt them right now, they might escape and take her away. You heard him, she's already onboard so wherever that is, we have to go along until the time is right" She yelled over the noise that echoed in the cage. With a loud "clank" the cage had been loaded on the flat bed of a medium size truck, seconds later, the engine roared to life and started to move. They leaned against one of the walls as the cage shook with every turn and obstacle on the road. It wasn't hot anymore as some of the air ventilated thru a wired opening on the top of the cage, making it brighter as well.

For a while, neither of them spoke. Each going thru recent memories or possible plans. But a question had been bugging him though and found that his curiosity was greater than the anxiety of the upcoming events.

"Hey M, can I ask you something?" he asked calmly with his head leaned against the wall and without looking at her. Meliah, on the other hand, had been lost in thought. Going back and forth between rescue and revenge ideas. His sudden words just snapped her out of her reverie. After a moment's hesitation, she nodded.

"How did you know… that it wasn't your mom back at the morgue?" He asked cautiously. A small sigh of relief escaped her, not sure for how long she had been holding it.

"Um… her scars. I made them the first time I was back" she saw his surprise and continued. "it was an accident. I was so… I don't know… skittish? … that I freaked the moment she tried to embraced me. I knew she wouldn't hurt me and that's what kept me from fully turning into an animal, but I couldn't stop the claws… it took me a while to be able to let her close enough or for me to hug her back"

"So, when you saw them… were they missing or something?"

"Not only one of them was missing but, they were on the wrong side." she laughed without real humor, trying to hide the tremors of terror she was feeling at the memory of the few minutes walking down that long hallway to identify the body of her mother. Garfield saw the sad look in her eyes "Don't worry M, in a few minutes we'll escape this prison. You'll take your mom and I'll take care of those bastards" He smiled trying to show his optimism. Mostly for her but also in part for himself, to convince himself that what he was about to do was nothing more than another mission. He just didn't want to think about the fact that, this entire ordeal was beyond his training and he didn't know what to expect.

"No Gar. **We** are taking care of those bastards. I have many bones to pick with them" and she smiled. Suddenly her eyes were crystallized blue again and her smile not only turned confident and brave, but evil. He's only seen that smile on one other person… Rage, and he couldn't help but smile too.

They came to an abrupt holt. They heard men shouting, running about. Others barking orders left and right and the unmistakable sound of a cargo crane lifting the cage one more time. Finally down on the ground, they heard chains being hooked around the cage.

"Here" she said handing him the broken collar. "In case they decide to check up on us before we get a chance to get out" He did as she asked. The broken collards fell on their necks. There was a lot of commotion outside but finally the ship started to move. A small latch was opened on the far side from the outside. They tensed and backed away a few steps but a wrinkled face greeted them.

"Mr. Jacobs!" gasped Meliah and run to the window. It was half the size of the man's face. Beast Boy followed her and heard them talk in hushed voices.

"Oh child. I would like to say I'm happy to see you again, but under this circumstances, I would've rather never again. I was so relieved when that nice young man helped you escape from the factory, but the moment I saw your mother I had to do something to let you know."

"You mean you did the mask for that poor woman?" there was horror in her eyes.

"Yes. She had died already before I had the idea. They asked me to dispose of the body, just to give this old man something to do, but they didn't know about my plan until it was too late"

"You mean they found out? How?"

"I told him of course. A bit of revenge… it felt good to see his face going white in horror" The old man smiled but winced. that's when they noticed the fresh scar. It started from the corner of his chin and ran down along his jaw line and ended half way down his neck.

"Dude, they could have kill you" said Beast Boy with wide eyes speaking for the first time to the man.

"I'm not afraid to die son. I would've expired a long time ago but she needed protecting. What little I could do for her to keep her alive" he said nodding towards Meliah.

"I'm just glad they didn't kill you Mr. Jacobs"

"Oh he wanted to but I offered him my last deal. I told him the collars were made specially for your kind and since he was running out of artillery to capture you, he accepted right away" He said with a knowing smile. But close by there were shouts and men running around. A helicopter was approaching. "Quick child. Your mother will be on that helicopter, they're dropping her off. Get her and get out. Your powers should be back to normal now… I cant do anything about the darts but I did made the door weaker…. I have to go child. Good luck!" and with, the old men closed the little gate in a hurry.

"M, who was that?"

"Mr. Jacobs, the only person that ever showed me any kindness in this hell" they felt the rumble on the floor from the helicopter's landing.

"What are we going to do about the darts. We cant pass out in the middle of escaping"

"Ok, here is what you do, as soon as you feel you've been shot, morph into something else, enough times until you don't feel sleepy anymore. That'll make your metabolism burn the sedatives faster. The power canceling solution wont work properly if the metabolism isn't slow enough. So just keep moving"

He nodded once, jaw set and narrowed eyes. "You ready M?"

"As ready as I'll ever be" she smiled. He took her hand and squeezed it once. "How about we go big" he said with a toothy grin. "Then big it is" she said while her eyes crystallized one more time, stepped away from him and both started to grow enough that the cage was broken in pieces and two mighty T-Rexes roared furiously.

It had been so unexpected that the men had not had a chance to get prepared. The green one headed towards the back side of the ship, taking long strides, smashing cages and crates on his way to the choppers already in motion and with its big mouth, grabbed one the helicopters mid air by its landing gear and smashed it against the other one that was also taking off. The pilots managed to jump off right before the explosion.

Meliah on the other side had gone the opposite direction towards the chopper that had just landed. Men were running around in terror at the loose animals. Others were brave enough to aim and shot tranquilizers but the brown dinosaur swung its tale with such force that sent many of them flying overboard or thrown across the deck into boxes and crates resulting in severe injuries.

Then the darts started to fly but bounced off the thick scaly skin of the reptiles. Beast Boy showed the serrated rows of teeth in a grin but noticed more men were coming after the others were down. He managed to throw an empty cage towards the door that led to the quarters down below where more men were coming out of. But as he prepared to charge at a jeep with a machine gun on top ready to fire, other hunter managed to shoot more darts that he couldn't avoid. Soon he started to feel the effects but quickly remembered what Meliah had told him and with a spark of energy, he shifted into a raptor and jumped high enough to reach the vehicle and shifted again mid air into a mammoth and smashed it in pieces while the men run away. Then turned into a cheetah and pounced at the remaining men and that's when a shower of star bolts destroyed a second jeep that he hadn't seen.

Meliah had managed to get rid off the men shooting at her at close range and out f the corner of her eye, saw two figures getting out of the helicopter, one dragging someone. She quickly turned into a cheetah and pounced and clawed her way to them. One of them was her mother and she was being pushed by no other than her father. The brown cat turned into a dinosaur again and roared with all her might.

Beast boy had seen her intention and also headed over to her now that most of the man had been either thrown overboard or disarmed while running away.

It was her father, or rather, the man that had conceived her. She turned back human and glared at him "You!" she said with such disgust that distorted her face with that one word.

"Hello sweetheart, you look nice" he said while holding his ex wife by the neck with his arm and a gun to her temple with the other.

"Let her go you prick. What the hell do you want" Said Beast Boy the moment he arrived by Meliah's side.

"Garfield, long time no see dear boy. I must say, I'm glad you're alive. Make my plans go easier."

"What plans!" Beast Boy said taking his fighting stance ready to attack.

"No, no, no… I wouldn't do that if I were you." the man said and shoved the gun to her temple. Beast Boy stopped short. Meliah gasped. "You know kid, when Alec told me that my precious daughter had escaped and found refuge with a green freak like her I couldn't believe him. I was so sure you had died all those years ago with your folks in that boating accident that I never gave you a second thought"

"Shut up, you know nothing about how my parents died"

"Oh but I do. You see, I had follow little Meliah to their boat. And I couldn't let go of such a goldmine that I had to do something about it…"

Beast Boy lost all color for a moment "What. Did. You. Do?" He said, his knuckles white from rage while Meliah just glared.

"Aw come on kid, do you really want me to say it?" The man said mockingly with a sick grin of satisfaction on his face. Meliah gasped at the realization.

"No…" she whispered. Her mother, who was fighting to get free at the moment, loosen his arm enough to speak. "You bastard!" she yelled and bit into his arm. He didn't let go but in one move, he fired the gun. Mother and daughter screamed but after everyone opened their eyes, the hand that held the gun, along with the loose bullet were encased in dark energy and right before his eyes, Meliah's father saw with shock how a cloaked figure rose from a dark spot on the ground and when the figure lifted her face, saw two white glowing eyes that seemed to peer into his very soul.

"Not in my watch" Raven said in an angry monotone. A chill ran down his spine and let go of the woman who was just as surprised and more, still in shock of having escaped from a bullet that was suspended mere centimeters from her head. Meliah then jumped to her side, helping her off the floor while Beast Boy, who had been rooted in his spot, was now breathing faster and furiously turned into a gorilla and jumped towards the man and with a swing of his massive arm, sent the man flying across the deck. The man was now bleeding from his temple but managed to get up and took a gun and turned to aim when a loud roar and a mouth full of sharp teeth was in front of his face.

A loud explosion was heard on the other side. There was smoke coming from the entrance to the lower level that Beast Boy had blocked earlier and more men shooting at anything that run or fly. There was another explosion and Alec emerged from the control tower. A machine gun on his left hand and a dart rifle on the right and walked thru the debris, looking around the scene before him. A flying girl shooting green lasers from her eyes, the three men in masks, bo staffs in hand, fending off bullets and darts while kicking the feet of his men and trapping them in rubbery exes. Then he saw Meliah trying to carry her mother, one of her arms around Meliah's neck. Alec growled and bit into his cigarette and took aim with the machine gun at the two women. But out of no where he was knocked out by a sonic blast.

"Booyah!… not this time bastard" Cyborg yelled from a few feet away and run to help the others leaving an unconscious hunter behind him.

Meliah was almost running with her mother across the deck. Two men came from behind the rubble, whips in hand and lashed at women. Meliah was quicker and grabbed the leather material with her free hand and pulled. The man on the other end of it stumbled and bumped into the other one. "You don't want to do that" she warned and with a flick of her hand she lashed the whip at one of the man and caught him by the neck. The man fell unconscious at her feet next to his partner who had been stabbed from behind by Mr. Jacobs.

"How did that feel?" The old man mocked. "Sorry I had to do that in front of you ladies, but it had to be done… come this way" without a word they followed the old man towards a secluded space. Meliah's mother was hurt however she had been limping badly but had endured the pain while running with Meliah's help, but now the wound was bleeding. She had several bruises on her face and a cut on her lower lip but finally, Meliah was able to hold her mother again.

"My dear girl, my sweet Meliah, I'm so glad your alive"

"Oh mom, look at you, they hurt you but I promise you they'll pay with their lives" Meliah said between sobs.

"No dear, that's not the answer. don't become heartless like they did"

"You expect me to have mercy on those bastards after all they have put us thru? After what **he** put us thru?"

"I just don't want you to make the same mistakes" The mother said with pleading eyes.

Meanwhile, Beast Boy was enraged, to say the least. To realized that his parent's death was caused by this man. This man that, that not only did he abused his own daughter, but also sabotaged the boat were his parents perished. The pain of realizing that the storm wasn't to blame, or a faulty engine. That otherwise, they would have been able to overcome the current and maybe never gotten on the course of the waterfall.

All the penned up frustration and fears and anger were surfacing at a brutal pace and he was letting it all go while he, kicked, threw, punched the man that by now was barely alive. At some point, he was in his human form over the man, punching his face left and right without restriction.

Raven was now worried. Never had she seen or sensed his anger and rage in such a crude manner, so out of control that within seconds, the Beast made its appearance. It roared furiously and grabbed the man by the legs and swung him over his head and smash it on the ground with a sick thud.

"BEAST BOY STOP!" Yelled Raven over the havoc but the Beast wasn't listening. "Beast Boy we don't kill people… you… don't kill people, no matter how bad they are… don't start now… don't let rage consume you."

The Beast roared to the skies and was about to bring its massive arms and fists onto the man's head when his hands stopped inches away from the man. His hands were encaged in dark energy and the Beast roared in frustration and sharply turned to Raven. But she wasn't afraid. Because in that furious expression, his eyes were sad and pleading.

"Beast Boy, this is not who you are… don't become the monster they want you to be…" The Beast was growling, trying to comprehend why the one he wanted for his mate, didn't let him kill the reason his master was in such pain. Raven approached him slowly. He was crouched on the floor iin front of her now. His claws were still bound but he didn't fight it.

"Beast, you're not a monster… don't let Beast Boy commit a crime he'll regret the rest of his life… please" she pleaded and came closer still. And slowly, very softly she run her fingers on his furry face. The Beast whimpered and closed his eyes. She made the dark energy disappear and his claws were free.

Meliah's instincts were wide awake. She was watching Raven and the Beast, and how the fearless sorceress was trying to calm the Beast down. She thought that maybe she was asking the Beast the same thing her mother was asking of her. To not cross the line where there was no return. But her eyes averted to a sudden movement to the far left.

Alec rose from the debris and threw a grenade in Raven's direction. "RAVEN LOOK OUT!" . Suddenly, the Beast opened his eyes and swung his arm over Raven and protected her with his body while throwing the man away from the explosion as well, while Meliah turned into a cheetah and charged towards the mercenary, a few feet from him and she turned into a rhino, colliding head on and knocking him out for good. The last thing Raven heard was his roar and Meliah's far cry to look out before everything was silent.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22. Payback **

The explosion had been loud and the damage was extent. Mounts of debris were on fire and the smoke rose up high. Most of the mercenaries were already contained. Meliah had Alec trapped thanks to Red X, who had used one of his rubbery exes to bind the man.

A dome of dark energy was visible as the smoke dissipated in the area where Raven and the Beast had been. Inside, the Beast was gone and Beast Boy remained, hands covering Ravens ears, with his face buried in her neck while she held her arms above him to hold the dome which wasn't completely sound proof but it did protected them from the worst of the explosion.

She heard a soft sob by her ear and he slowly lifted his face. He was still on top of her holding her head, not quite covering her ears anymore.

"We seem to keep getting in awkward positions lately" he tried to joke but there was no humor in his voice.

"It doesn't have to be" She said softly. There was a pause before he lifted himself off of her and sat down. While she did the same, the dark dome disappeared and now they could see the damage the bomb had caused. There was smoke everywhere and muffled voices around them. She could also see his eyes red from crying, wet from sweat and the path his tears had made down his cheeks.

"Rae?… before I say anything or do anything with you… there is something Meliah and I have to take care of… I wont be gone for long, its just that… I have to do this." He said softly, not looking at her. He was hoping she would understand.

"Are you still thinking of … revenge?" He saw the worry in her eyes and perhaps, even disappointment. He signed then look in her eyes.

"Don't worry, nothing too drastic. The Beast made me promise not to kill them… even though he knows they deserve it" He frown at his own words.

"What do you mean he made you promise?"

"We understand each other now. He knows that if we kill them, that would upset you and we are both clear that we don't want that" he said while shyly running a finger on her jaw line.

"He doesn't?" she whispered, very aware of his touch, never looking away from his sad green eyes. He shook his head no and whispered back "I think I'm not the only one who has a thing for you"

The words left his lips without a second thought. He dropped his hand and closed his eyes. For a moment it looked like he regretted what he said. She looked down and tried to move away because the disappointment hurt too much. Suddenly, Beast Boy got up and offered her his hand to help her to her feet.

"I have to go. I'll talk to Robin and then we'll be on our way" he said before turning away but she grabbed his arm to stop him. "I can help" she said with pleading eyes.

"Thanks, but only Meliah can help me this time… I'm sorry" Then he came closer and placed a soft kiss on her forehead "Take care"

He turned away and walked briskly towards the others. The sorceress was rooted in her spot, fighting back tears. She saw Meliah run to him and hug him fiercely. He told her something that made Meliah look her way for a brief moment then nodded once at him. Then both of them walked towards Robin and after a few brief words, Robin also nodded once but he didn't look at all happy. He had his arms crossed over his chest and stayed in his spot after the two changelings walked passed him.

Starfire landed next to Raven who quickly wiped her tears. She never liked to be seen in such weak state. "Raven?… is everything.. Ok?" Raven took a shaky breath to steady herself then answered the alien. "Yes Star, everything is fine"

"Then why friend Beast Boy is leaving with Meliah?" Said the alien who was looking to her right side in the direction where Meliah's mom was being tended to by Cyborg with a first aid kit.

"He just doesn't need my help this time" said softly while closing her eyes tight. A tear run down her left cheek and felt a finger under her chin pulling her face to her left. When she opened her eyes, Red X was there and softly wiped her tear with the same finger.

"I'm sure he'll be back in no time. After what I've seen, I can tell there is nothing to keep him away from you for too long"

"I hope you're right" she whispered back.

Across the deck, under the make shift medical tent, Cyborg had Meliah's mom sitting on a crate while he tended to the injuries of her leg. Beast Boy and Meliah approached them and Dr Simmons's face brighten up in such way when she saw him.

"Garfield, is that really you? Your mother would have been so happy if she knew we finally found you" she said while tears run down her face. He kneeled down next to her and hugged her tightly, careful not to upset her leg. She kissed him on his forehead before letting go. "Your mother did survive the accident for a few days and all she wanted was to know if you were ok… we buried her shortly after." she said sniffing and trying to control her tears.

"They have a grave?" He gasped and more tears run down his face.

"Of course my dear boy, they deserved a proper burial and I made sure of that. Meliah knows where the cemetery is, you should go see them. They would be so proud of you. To see how much you've grown and how handsome you are.

"I will, but before that…" he said while she held the lady's hand "Meliah and I have something to take care of… we wont be gone long… our friends will take care of you" he nodded towards Cyborg who smiled back at the doctor in reassurance. She looked from Cyborg to Garfield then Meliah and with a worried look said "You're still thinking of…"

Garfield squeezed her hand softly and said " No, no. I promised Raven we wont, but they still have to answer to us. Don't worry Mrs. Simmons. We'll be back soon" and with that he got up and walked away. Meliah gave her mother a hug "Don't worry, we'll be back in no time" and then went around and gave Cyborg a kiss on the cheek "Thank you" and she run to catch up with Garfield. They both turned into pterodactyls and with their claws grabbed the men. Garfield took Meliah's father while she took Alec and flew away.

Raven, who was still in the same place with Red X and Starfire, saw them take off. The wind their massive wings created dissipated the remaining smoke.

"I hope they don't wake up and give them trouble while flying" said Raven to no one but the thief eased down her worries.

"Don't worry beautiful, they wont. I took care of that. They'll be passed out until either the effects wear off or something really painful happens"

The coastguards had already arrived and taking care of the rest of the crew. The Navy and Marines troops had also showed up. There had been a major human, animal and drug contraband that Alec and Meliah's father had going on. And with all the evidence they found on board, there was no mistaking and they will spend a very long time behind bars probably with no chance of parole. Alec was wanted in many countries and at least two life sentences awaited him. Meliah's father had the same in store. When the Navy officials asked Batman and Robin of the whereabouts of the main suspects, Robin assured them they were already being transported to Arkham Asylum.

"Are you sure that was a wise decision Dick?" Asked Batman after the officers were getting ready to leave.

"Wise or not, I don't think I would have been able to stop them if I didn't agree and quite honestly if I was in his shoes, I would have done the same thing" Batman nodded while Robin looked around for the rest of his team and saw Starfire, Raven and Red X not too far from them.

"You know, he's been very helpful with this mission. He has potential. Have you ever considered …"

"NO!… not happening!"

"Is that all? Or is it your ego speaking?" Batman asked sternly crossing his arms across his chest with a glare.

"Not you too…" Robin said with exasperation and tried to walk away, but his former mentor placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Is this because he stole your suit or because he's stealing your girl?"

"He's not stealing anything else from me!. And no, he's a thief, he'll always will be. What's not to say he wont betray us in the next chance he has."

"He's been quite loyal to the team. Specially the girls. Perhaps he just needs an incentive"

"That's not gonna happen Bruce, neither Beast Boy not I will allow that … that… smooth talker closer to our girls, besides, he's just been this loyal only because Raven threaten him with torturing him and send him to another dimension "

"Your girls huh? Like you have so openly told Starfire how you feel… or Beast Boy to Raven for that matter? … look Dick, the way I see it, it wont matter whether you let him in the team or not, if Starfire or Raven feel like they're not appreciated as women , they'll go after the one that does, and that for your bad luck, happens to be a thief… just a thought. In the main time we can go back to the cave. We need to rest and Dr Simmons needs medical treatment. Lets go…. And tell Red X to come as well" Robin glared but nodded and turned around and headed where they were.

"Girl's… Red X, we're going back to the cave to rest for the night. Tomorrow we'll leave for Jump City"

"What about Beast Boy" asked Raven. It was the first time he had seen her this upset. Her eyes red from tears and her violet eyes pleading.

"He'll know as soon as he communicates with us… you too Red X, you'll come with us"

"I don't think so kid, my duty here is done"

"Well, suit yourself… lets go ladies, I'm sure you're exhausted" he turned on his heals with a satisfied smile but after a few steps, he realized he was walking alone.

"But friend Robin, how can you just let him go like that after all he's done for us?" Starfire said with a frown.

"He said he didn't want to go, I'm not about to make him" he said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Maybe you're not but we are…" Raven told him with a glare then turned to the thief "X, come with us"

"Yes friend, please… it would be wondrous if you came to celebrate with us" and without an answer Starfire grabbed the thief's hand while Raven grabbed his arm and glared at Robin again.

"Don't mind if I do ladies" the thief said and offered them his arms which they took. Starfire couldn't stop a giggle and Raven turned to Robin while passing next to him. "You see, he just needed to be asked nicely"

Robin's mouth fell open and watched them walk away from him towards Meliah's mother who the alien lifted carefully in the air into one of the T-ship compartments. He made his way towards the main cockpit while Batman, who was already in his own vehicle, just shook his head to him before taking off.

…

…

A few hours later, two big flying figures landed on the roof of an abandoned warehouse dropping two bodies with a thud. After turning back to their human forms, they looked around them. The area was desolated, it was at the outer skirts of Gotham with dark and polluted surroundings.

"M, are you sure we're in the right place?"

"Oh I'm sure. They brought me here right before the factory incident. We should have everything we need down there" she said with an evil smile. Her wild side had taken over again but this time, neither of them minded.

They grabbed the men by the neck and dragged them thru the stair case. Down they rolled and every time they got stuck, either Beast Boy or Meliah would turn into a gorilla and throw them once more. They reached the basement which had been abandoned not too long ago. Apparently the word had gone out faster than expected for not a living soul was there and everything they had been working on was left behind not bothering to take or destroy evidence.

"I'm sure the police will come soon so let's get this done and over with" said Beast Boy feeling uneasy of his surroundings. It looked like the lab of a mad scientist but he got to the conclusion he wasn't far off.

"Wait… there is something that we need to get first" she said with a smirk and turned on the lights of the rest of the place. At the far end, there was a cage just like the one they had been in. she headed towards a countertop that had all kinds of vials and samples. She found latex gloves and put them on, that way her fingerprints wouldn't be found. She finally found what she was looking for and grabbed a pair of syringes.

"Meliah, what are you doing?"

"Its called payback dear Garfield and this one is on me" She said while she stabbed the little vial and then plunged them into each unconscious man.

"Is that the same thing they injected us with? didn't you say that could have kill me?"

"It is, but in their case.. I'm not concerned" she said while injecting them a second time.

"isn't that an overdose? wouldn't that kill them?" there was some panic in his eyes.

"Don't worry Gar, they know the antidote, they just have to… use it… now lets go. We have to drop them off at the Asylum, isn't that what Robin said to do?"

"um, yes… M?…exactly what is the antidote?"

"No, no.. you promised not to ask and I'm not about to tell you"

They left the warehouse and a few minutes later, they arrived at Arkham Asylum. Batman had already given word of their arrival and were expected. Dr Hugo Strange lead them to a holding cell while their paperwork was being filled out and statements taken. At some point during the interview, screams were heard from down the hall. Banging on the reinforced doors and things being thrown around, all was heard from the doctor's office.

The doctor tried to go see what was the commotion but Beast Boy quickly got up and closed the door while Meliah came closer to the doctor and very seductively, took out a bundle of money from her back pocket and with a hand on his shoulder she said while whispering in the doctor's ear "Ten grand, for letting them be, let it run its course …" she said while slipping the bundle in one of his coat's front pocket. Then lifted her hand and Beast Boy gave her another bundle of money and stepped back and watched her slip her hands under the doctor's coat and tuck the second bundle into the front of his pants.

"And another ten grand… and this conversation never happened… got it?" she said while winking at him then came closer and licked his lips once and bit softly into his lower lip. The doctor was so taken aback he made no response to either approach.

"um.. Of… of course… anything else?" he asked nervously after she stepped back.

"yes, I want to see them one last time when they are ready to be transported to their cell"

"Done!… just.. Let me finish this paperwork, it will take me no time" said the doctor and with a shaking hand, put away the bundles of money in a drawer, sat down and scribble a few things on the papers and signed them hastily. Then called the male nurses thru an intercom to get the patients ready. After a few minutes there was another commotion but this time they got out of the doctor's office to watch. Four male nurses, holding Alec with a restraining shirt and spots of blood on his pants. His eyes were wild and was breathing as if he had been running a marathon.

Behind him, other two nurses were carrying her father who had his pants ripped and was dripping blood from somewhere under the sheet that barely covered him. This one being a little weaker and definitely smaller than Alec, tried to walk on trembling legs. His entire frame shaking and sweating, breathing the same way as Alec did and also wearing a restraining shirt. He stumbled on his own feet and fell to his knees. Meliah came forward and crouched before him while the doctor signal the nurses to wait and see what she would do next. He lifted his face with difficulty, his nose was bleeding, had a purple eye and several bruises all over his face.

Meliah smiled in satisfaction and in a low voice just for him to hear she said "Did you enjoy that… daddy… I hope you did …because there is more waiting for you where that came from "

The man opened his eyes wide and tried to unbind his arms that's when the nurses grabbed him again and took him away while he yelled to the top of his lungs "NOOOOO!"


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23. Surprises.**

Batman walked to his computer to attend a conference call from Arkham Asylum. A flustered Dr Strange was on the screen and confirmed the arrival of the prisoners. When Batman asked if everything was in order, the doctor said "A most peculiar case of sexual assault I have ever seen"

"Yes, they were the head of drug contraband and human traffic. They tortured their hostages and raped them"

"I meant among themselves… it was a brutal assault from Natovsky to the other prisoner upon arrival" said the doctor with bugged out eyes and left Batman speechless for a few seconds. He was astonished to say the least and had to clear his throat before speaking.

"The important things is they are behind bars and receiving the punishment they deserve. What about the Titans that delivered them?"

"A most peculiar pair as well, but they took their leave as soon as the prisoners were transported to their cell"

"Very well, thank you Dr Strange" the video call was terminated and Batman walked towards the Titans who were gathered around the refreshments Alfred had prepared for them. The thief was next to Alfred while he finish the stitches on Dr Simmons's leg.

"I have confirmation that the mercenaries are already in custody… there seemed to be a… disturbing turn of events for them"

"Are Beast Boy and Meliah ok?" Asked Raven getting up from her chair.

"As far as I know they dropped them off and they left once the prisoners were behind bars" He said to Raven who's expression was of real worry.

"Where are they now?"

"I suppose on their way back" Said Batman and noticed Raven relax at that. She even seemed to be smiling very subtly to herself. The others didn't seem to catch it, specially Robin, who had started to pace when his communicator went off. He flipped it open and Beast Boy was on the small screen.

" Hey Rob, we dropped off those two at the Asylum an hour ago"

"I know, Dr Strange just talked to Batman about it. And by the looks of it, the doctor was… Perturbed. Mind telling me what happened?"

"Rob? … we promised Raven and Meliah's mom we wouldn't kill them and we promised you that we would deliver them on time… everything else in between is irrelevant. Don't worry, we didn't do anything you wouldn't have done yourself."

"That's what I'm afraid of… but… anyway. We're leaving for Jump City tomorrow. You can meet us here at the Bat cave or at the Tower, is up to you."

"The Bat Cave?…. Duuuude! That's awesome!" Beast Boy said with the enthusiasm of a kid that was just told he was going to Disneyland but sobered quickly and said in a rather sad tone " Actually, that's the other reason I was calling… I'd like to take a few days… Meliah is taking me to my parent's graves"

"Oh… of course, take all the time you need, I understand"

"Thanks Rob…hey… um… can I … talk to Raven for a few minutes?"

"Sure, hang on…" Said Robin and he only had to turn as Raven was already behind him.

"Yes Beast boy" although still expressionless, there was a softness to her features when she spoke to him.

" Hey Rae… um… I know I promised you I wouldn't be gone for too long but… I kinda want to do this, I think is the best time to go see them…"

"Beast Boy… you don't have to ask me permission for anything. Besides, I agree with Robin. Take all the time you need. Your parents are more important"

"Thanks babe, I'll let you guys know when we come back" Raven arched an eyebrow at this, but before she had a chance to say anything, the call was terminated.

A couple of light bulbs exploded in the cave getting the attention of anyone other than the rest of the Titans as they were already used to the outburst of magic Raven would have when upset. She turned to Batman who was a few feet away from them and gave him a "Sorry… I need to meditate" before handing the communicator back to Robin and walking away towards the farthest corner of the cave, but when that part didn't bring her any comfort, she looked around until she saw a small waterfall with a darker corner in the far back of the cave. She levitated across the pool and crossed her legs in the air in a lotus position, closed her eyes and chanted her mantra and soon felt less anxious and serene.

All the while, she was being observed by all those who had never seen her meditate before.

"Master Robin?… I can only presume you go thru light bulbs quite a lot at the Tower. Am I right?" Asked Alfred while finishing putting away his medical utensils.

"Somewhat" was all Robin said with a smile while getting back to the rest of his friends. Batman gave a nod to Alfred before turning back to his computer. His back to everyone else.

"Mr. Red X, would you be so kind as to follow me this way please"

The thief looked around suspiciously, not sure what to look for "What for"

"There is something I would like to discuss with you" said Alfred while the thief looked at his surroundings in search of a clue as to what the older man had in mind, but all he saw was the Titans gathered around a small table talking and laughing, Raven still suspended mid air meditating at the far corner of the cave. Batman still at his computer and finally to Dr Simmons sitting still on the hospital bed with a bandaged leg. "Go ahead young man, I'll be fine" she said with a soft smile and nodded towards the butler.

Reluctantly, the thief followed Alfred thru a narrow hallway into a small furnished chamber around the corner with a luscious table right in the middle which held all kinds of culinary dishes. From salads to desserts and several main courses to choose from.

"What is all this?" said the thief with not hiding his surprise.

"Dinner of course. I took the liberty of calling you first. Quite honestly sir, that mask is the least convenient at meal time and I also understand the need of the secret identity but young man, you also need to eat and you've had nothing since your arrival late last night, so please, take your time."

"Alfred… um.. Really this is not necessary I'm…" but was interrupted by the embarrassing growling of his stomach giving away his lie as he quickly placed both hands over it in the futile attempt to quiet it down.

Alfred politely bowed saying "I'll leave you to it then" and started to walk away but stopped by the door and said " The others will arrive until you're ready. If you need anything else, just ring the bell on the table and do not worry young man, your identity, whether you choose to reveal it or not, its safe within this walls" and with that, Alfred stepped outside and closed the door.

The thief was looking at the closed door in wonder, then slowly looked around him. The room was big enough to gather at least ten people but small enough to make it comfortable and intimate. It was sparsely furnished and a chandelier hanging right in the middle of it gave it the feel of a small ballroom. He walked around slowly , this time focused on the walls. Caught in between admiring the original pieces of art and trying to find hidden cameras that could pry into his identity but found none. Instead, his stomach reminded him of the task at hand and headed to a small washroom he had spotted earlier.

His gloves came off first and washed them before removing his mask. But even as he did so, he didn't look in the mirror. He washed his face, bent low into the sink so as to not splash water all over, and with wet hands, run his fingers thru his hair that was plastered onto his scalp due to the sweat and heat from the previous battle.

For a moment he looked into the eyes of his reflection before shaking his head slightly. Washed his hands one more time, scuffed to himself in mocking disbelief then grabbed his mask and exited the washroom without a second look with the sole intention of enjoying the home cooked meal that awaited him at the table.

…

…

…

Beast boy had just closed his communicator. He had ended the call abruptly after he realized the way he talked to Raven. He knew she didn't like the pet name he came up with. Shortening her name was bad enough as it also had the effect of shorten her patience, but he liked it anyway and with a barely there whisper said "I love you" into the closed device.

Meliah, who was sitting behind him, her back to his, chuckled slightly. "The saying "outspoken words are carried away by the wind" does not mean she'll hear them eventually that way you know?… why don't you just… tell her and get it off your chest already"

"huh?… I don't know what you're talking about" he said a bit defensive and a bit embarrassed. He thought she wouldn't hear him. She chuckled again.

"Garfield… you can be many things… but you're not a liar" she turned to him this time. " And who knows maybe she'll surprise you by feeling the same way… don't you want to find out?"

"M, are you sure we wont get in trouble by hiding up her all the way to Africa?" he looked around at their current location. They were seated inside the look out platform of the tallest mast of a cargo boat. Seagulls flapped their wings around them every now and then but left them alone for the most part.

"Garfield, don't try to change the subject." she said with a frown.

"I'm not, I'm just… well, I've never traveled this way before and I don't want to do anything illegal …"

"Garfield, we're not. Besides, we can always hide among these birds, trust me. I have traveled like this many times before"

"What about food and water"

"Well, we can always catch something fresh, there are plenty of birds… and fish… around us, what's the matter?" she said after his mocking face of disgust.

"You mean you actually eat things that are still breathing and trying to escape while you're biting into it?"

"Um… yes… um… oh for crying out loud Garfield!, don't look at me like that, its not a sin" she said trying to hide her amusement at his expression while he tried to hide a laugh then with an exaggerated gasp, he said "Meliah! How Could you?" and on seeing her surprised expression he burst out laughing so hard, he was holding his stomach, making her laugh as well.

"Shut up Gar!…" she said playfully while smacking his shoulder and pointing her index finger at him "I haven't forgotten our conversation so fess up already and don't worry, we'll sneak into the captain's quarters. They usually have the best foods and fruits, ok?"

"Ok, ok… um… well, it's a bit complicated. You see, she has to suppress her emotions or her powers get out of control. That's why she barely ever smiles"

"Barely? … I'm yet to see her smile once" she said in pure disbelief but he chuckled at that.

"oh but when she does… She brightens my day, it's the most beautiful I have ever seen." he said a bit embarrassed and looking away. She saw him blush and thought it was the sweetest thing. "Tell me more"

He went on and tell her how they met all those years ago. How mesmerized he had been from the moment he saw that mysterious girl. All their adventures as heroes and even about her own father. He spoke about the sorceress with such fervor and enthusiasm that Meliah could not help but smile at how well he knew her. How he portrayed that side of Raven that only he knew about because that's how he saw her.

Meliah asked for how long has he felt like that about her, he said "when I realized she didn't hate me. The day I went into her mind and met her emotions"

"Wait.. You did what? Met her emotions? As in like real people?"

"Yeah, when Cyborg and I sneaked into her room, I found a funny looking mirror that took us into her mind. To Nevermore and met her emotions… talk about moody"

"How does that work… does she have the same condition I do?… you know the multiple personality disorder?"

"hmmm, I never thought of it that way… nah, just her powers that allow her to keep them in check so they wont go out of control"

He briefly told her about Terra and Malchior not wanting to go into detail on that. He told her he didn't care about the details because they were in the past "and I want to look forward to a future with her" he said in a sobered moment.

It was late into the night when they finally decided to rest. They had already snuck into the captain's quarters and as predicted, they found the best fruits and breads and even ice cream for Beast Boy as well as some fresh cheese and meat cuts for Meliah before they stopped by that charts on the table. The captain had already traced the coordinates of their direction and all they had to do was follow them. They decided that come morning they would fly and swim the rest of the way.

…

…

Back in Gotham, at Wayne Manor, its habitants had also retired to rest. Most of them, of course, not knowing the real location.

After a satisfying dinner, the thief placed his mask back on along with his gloves. Picked up his dishes and waited. Yes, he was a thief, one of the best ones out there, but not always had it been so and knew the basic manners. He was hesitant in ringing the bell, not sure if he was comfortable being waited upon. He decided to venture out instead. Took the pile of dishes and started his way towards the door, but half way there, the door opened and Batman was there. Silent, expressionless. looking straight at him and somehow the thief felt vulnerable, as if caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.

"Alfred can take care of those for you" and as he said so, moved to the side to let Alfred in. "Besides, we need to talk Red X, or should I say…Michael"

Dishes shattered and the thief took a few steps back away from Alfred who was trying now to pick up the pieces. Red X was now against the table, too astonished to even think straight.

"How do you know that name" he said almost with a growl.

"We've know for quite some time, but we cant talk here, none of the Titans know and it wouldn't be wise for them to find out just yet"

"How about NEVER!" and with that he pressed the button of the his teleporting device on his belt and disappeared.

"What do you think?"

Alfred who was still picking up and cleaning up the mess, straighten up and turned to his boss with a frown. "Really sir, must you be so direct with the young man?"

"But what do you think?"

"I think they're very, very much alike"

"Indeed. Now we need to figure out where did he go"

"I think I know sir in the main time… tend to the rest of your guests. If I was able to find one before, I'm sure I can find this one as well" he said while cleaning the last of the broken dishes and disappeared thru the door.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Sorry for the delay everyone. i meant to post this chapter on Saturday but an evil virus took over my computer. after failed attempts to fix it myself i finally gave in and called a professional and i got it back this morning, so yay! **_

_**so i hope you like this chapter. let me know. **_

**Chapter 24. Chances.**

The rest of the trip was uneventful. After Beast Boy and Meliah touched land, they decided to rest for half a day before continuing. It took them two and a half days more which they barely stopped to eat or rest but finally arrived at the village where they used to live.

Some of the people gave them curious looks and others even whispered among themselves but after a few minutes, one of the elders recognized them. Beast Boy and Meliah had been concerned that scars and green skin would bring bad memories to the locals but they were recognized and even welcomed with open arms because of those traits.

Beast boy was surprised and even proud of himself for being able to remember their dialect. It took a few minutes for his brain to process the change but soon was able to remember even how to speak it. The older man offered them to take him to Garfield's old house but he refused, not ready for that kind of memories yet so instead the elder took him to his own house.

They walked thru dirt roads among the houses and other buildings that had been there ten years ago. Technology and civilization had barely passed by, but overall, everything looked the same.

Meliah however was suspicious of her surroundings, Garfield noticed her uneasiness. She looked as if she was expecting an ambush at any time or hunting for pray. He placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention but she merely tilted her head in his direction but never stopped looking ahead, averting her eyes to anything and anyone that moved. Cat like instincts allowed her to never miss a move no matter how small.

"M?"…

"Hmmm?" She said still not looking at him.

"Meliah!" He stopped her suddenly and grabbed her by the shoulders forcing her to face him. When she did he noticed her eyes were different. A narrow vertical line where the irises should have been, just like that of a cat under a bright light.

"What?" She said somewhat annoyed.

"What are you doing M? stop that!"

"Stop what? What are you talking about?"

"You're hunting!"

"No… I'm walking"

"M?… you're hunting or expecting something to jump at you out of nowhere and you're ready to attack. Meliah, this people are peaceful, they wont hurt you."

Slowly her eyes opened wide as she realized what he meant. Muscles she had no idea were tense, started to relax and her eyes were back to normal."

"I'm sorry Gar, that will be a habit hard to break"

"It was rather a lifestyle for you, wasn't it?" He said as the sad realization of the extent of her troubled past was sinking in.

"It was, yes" then she scuffed to herself as they resumed walking.

"What?"

" "Was" I never thought I would actually be saying that" she smiled in wonder.

"Well, believe it, because from now on all that is part of a past you don't have to look back to." he said with a smile. His optimism was contagious and made her smile as well.

They arrived to the man's house and his wife met them at the door who immediately recognized Garfield. She offered them lunch and a place to rest. They accepted the food but instead, they asked to be directed to his parents graves. There was an instant change in the couple's mood as the memories were too sad but complied with their request and after a late lunch, they followed the path the older man had pointed out to them. They started out on foot, but after coming across the pond, memories of the monkey's attack made them change their mind and flew the rest of the way.

After a few minutes in the air, they could smell the water and the rumble it created when it fell onto the rocks. The waterfall was one of the places he had no intention of ever visiting, but for some unnerving reason, the locals had thought it appropriate to give them a place where they had been alive last.

Garfield decided to fly above the water, to follow its flow to the edge but that's when it hit him. Memories of that fateful day passed before his eyes. One minute he could see the worst of the storm and the next was the sunny day they were actually in. He saw the boat almost sinking and his parents floating next to it, trying to hold on to whatever they could, just as the last time he turned around right before the lightning hit. He was panicking. The same fear and despair of so long ago was overwhelming him once more.

Deep inside he knew it wasn't real and was tempted to give into fear while circling around the edge of the waterfall, but the memories were so strong that at some point the lost control and mid air, he turned back human and while holding his head and eyes closed, he let himself fall towards the rocks.

But he opened his eyes with a start as he realized what was happening, half way down along the waterfall he regained control of his fear and turned back into a falcon and flew up high to clear his mind, that's when he saw Meliah floating unconscious at the edge and soon started to fall. He picked up speed as he dived into the air and caught her by the shoulders and slowed her fall towards the edge of the river at the bottom of the rocks.

She fell on her side and he fell on his hands and knees, panting heavily. The girl started to move and coughed, spitting water from her lungs. She propped herself on one arm but Garfield was at her side and helped her sit down. She was disoriented but when she saw him, she hugged him tightly and started to cry.

"Meliah, what happened?"

"I don't know. I was right behind you but I got distracted, I looked down and all of a sudden I couldn't breath, I panicked and fell…" after a few minutes of silence Garfield finally spoke with a choked whisper.

"I saw it… everything all over again. The storm, the wind… the lightning… I have never been more scared in my life."

"And yet you still managed to come back for me, thank you" she hugged him once more and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He barely smiled before getting up and helped her to her feet.

"Don't mention it, just.. Tell me where they are"

"In a small clearing beyond those trees" she said nodding towards the greenery behind them. They started to walk and Garfield picked up a few wild flowers he found on the way carefully arranged a small bouquet.

The clearing was indeed small, with patches of grass here and there. On the far left were two small tombstones with traces of flowers that someone had left not long ago and other small trinkets that no doubt, the locals had arranged for them.

The one on the left read " Mark Logan. 1965-2000. Loving husband and father. Beloved friend and doctor. We'll remember you always."

"Marie Logan. 1968-2000. Loving wife and mother. Beloved friend and doctor. We'll remember you always"

Garfield caught his breath at seeing the names of his parents engraved in the stones. Even though he already knew, now the fact that they were gone and had been for a while, sank in with tremendous force.

They walked towards the graves but a few feet away he stopped, took the communicator from his belt and placed it on her hands. Reluctantly, he turned to her for a moment and softly said "please… I wish to be alone". she placed a hand over his and without a word nodded once. Garfield resumed walking and fell on his knees in between the graves.

His entire frame was shaking, she heard him sniff and with a trembling hand placed the bouquet over his mother's grave while he lifted his other hand and softly, brushed his fingers over his father's name. A single tear run freely on Meliah's cheek while she walked backwards to give him privacy. And after a few shaking breaths, he finally said " hi mom… hi dad… I'm sorry it took me so long but… I'm back…"

…

…

It had been a week since they came back to the Tower and some took their routine too soon. Upon arrival, Robin had gone to his office to check on the crime rate. Luckily the major villains had not taken advantage of their absence and no one other than low life thieves trying to break in a bank or a jewelry store, had made an attempt but it was nothing the local PD couldn't handle.

Starfire just sighed after watching him go into his office. Sad and disappointed, she hung her head and levitated towards the doors. Without a word, Raven had appeared in front of the girl before she went thru the doors, placed her hand on her shoulder and attempted to ask if she was ok but the alien pulled her into a bone crushing hug for interminable seconds. When she let go, gave Raven a small smile and said "I'm ok friend Raven but for now, I wish to retire to my room and rest" and without a word, flew away from the sorceress to her room.

Once onside, she leaned against the door and let her tears run free. After a few minutes of moping around, she took a deep breath, wrapped her arms around herself and walked to her bed. But something caught her eye and a flicker of hope sparked her smile. A single stem rose, laid on top of a white folded paper with her name on it. She lifted the rose to her nose to smell the soft scent then carefully opened the paper.

"_Hello gorgeous, welcome home. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your company this last couple of days and if you ever need to talk, just call. Anytime." Signed Red X_.

Although a bit disappointed it wasn't from Robin, it still made her feel better knowing that at least someone else enjoyed her company. With a last sniff at the rose, she pulled out her communicator and dialed the number on the note.

At first the screen was dark, no sound either. "Friend Red X?" she spoke shyly into the device.

"Hey Gorgeous. I see you found my note"

"yes, and I wanted to thank you… for giving some joy to my day… I was wondering if…" a knock interrupted her, she placed the open communicator on her bed and opened the door. It was Robin. Her heart skipped a beat and a smile formed on her lips.

"yes Robin?"

"Hey Star, I just wanted to make sure you were ok… um… I didn't wake you up, didn't I?" he asked when he saw her eyes a bit irritated.

"Oh no Robin, I was just… sitting on my bed"

"Good…um… I also wanted to tell you something…"

"Yes Robin…" hands clasped at her chest and an expectant smile made him gulp but something caught his eye on her bed… a rose? For some reason he lost his courage and instead he said " We'll resume training tomorrow at seven"

Her disappointment was obvious and that made him feel worse but didn't know how to fix it. So distracted was by the flower that he just turned around and left without waiting for her response.

"Ok" She said mostly to herself as she closed the door, curious herself as to what would have made him change his mind. She was sure he was about to say something else. She went back to her bed lost in thought.

"I see nothing has changed' said the thief softly. She picked up the device in her hands and tried to hold her tears again and let out a deep sigh before speaking " I guess I shouldn't have expected anything after all"

For some reason he had a soft spot for sad pretty females and the thief felt compelled to distract the girl out of her misery. "Tell you what gorgeous. Why don't you meet me at the park"

"I don't know, Robin might not like it"

"So don't tell him. The idea is for you to get away from him for a bit. Just one hour. What do you say?"

Starfire looked towards her closed door, then to the window then smiled to herself. "Very well friend. I shall meet you at the fountain of water in fifteen minutes" and with that, she headed to her window while she closed her communicator and flew away from the tower.

Raven, who had been distracted with a similar note and a purple flower saw the alien girl fly away towards the city. She figured Starfire just needed some fresh air, after all she wasn't in the best of her spirits as usual but, why did she leave thru her window?

She flipped her communicator open and dialed the number from her note.

"Hello beautiful" the sensuous voice said.

"I see you venture once more in the tower… into my room no less. I'm curious as to how you did that. I'm also curious about Starfire, I saw her leave the tower a few minutes ago. Do you have anything to do with that? Because if you do, I swear something happens to her and I'll…"

"I know, I know. You'll hunt me down and sent me to another dimension. Thrust me, after all I've seen you can do, I'm well aware of the consequences if I misbehave. don't worry, she'll be safe with me… unless you're… jealous?"

"Don't be ridiculous!, I just want to make sure she's not in any danger" she snapped, eyes glowing red.

"Fine, don't worry, she'll be fine" there was silence for almost a minute before he spoke again "Raven? Have you heard from Beast Boy yet?" he asked curious. Not a mocking hint in his tone.

"No" she simply said, but her eyes were no longer glowing.

"Hang in there beautiful, I'm sure he'll be back soon. Well I have to go now, Starfire will be here soon… will you be ok?"

"I'll be fine. Bye." she said and closed the device. "Why does he care anyway?" she asked herself " and why do I feel so… familiar with him?… is like I'm talking to Robin… probably that's why Starfire likes to talk to him as well. Better make sure he's telling the truth"

Raven opened a portal and phased thru the floor and reappeared behind a bush in the park. It didn't take long for her to find her friend and the thief. The water fountain was Starfire's favorite spot in the park.

The circumference was almost the same as their sofa in the tower. Three enormous ceramic bowls tilted the opposite way from each other and the never ending water pouring from the smallest bowl from the top made the alien girl wonder how come they were never full as it also seemed they were suspended in mid air just above each other. She could stare at it for hours, and she had done so in the past.

There was no one around as it perhaps it was too late in the afternoon for anyone to venture on this side of the park. Starfire was sitting at the edge of the fountain opposite Red X. she couldn't hear what they were saying but saw the girl smile for the first time that day. As the minutes ticked by, they seemed more at ease, at some point, Starfire pointed at the fountain, probably telling him why was she so intrigued by it. They laughed some more but then the girl looked around, it was getting darker, only some light from the sun going down was sipping thru the trees.

They got up and Raven watched how the alien gave the thief a bone crushing hug before flying away. She could have sworn she heard something crack but he never complained. After Starfire left, Raven saw him watch her until she was no longer visible.

Raven opened a portal one more time and disappeared in the shadows.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25. Expectations.**

Raven was attempting to meditate on the roof but felt too restless to concentrate, even for a short period of time. It had been almost two weeks since she last heard of him. She had mixed feelings she was trying to suppress or analyze the subject, whichever could bring her more comfort. But as expected, neither one approach was comforting in the least. She was worried about how, after that ordeal of his kidnapping, could he be able to manage another load of emotion as was going to his parent's graves.

Sad, because he had chosen Meliah to go with him instead, which also could be converted into jealousy for the same reason. Disappointed in herself for feeling so helpless in a situation well out of her control. Then she thought, "Why do I feel all … this?" her days dragged when she wasn't fighting criminals which lately was more often than what she cared to admit.

She wondered "Why do I feel so empty when he's not around?" The tower was quiet even if Cyborg was playing his videogames. Robin would play with him sometimes but it wasn't as loud as when he played against Beast Boy, which in other times, she would have welcomed the peace and quiet, but now? It was just … unnatural.

"You miss him" a voice in her head said softly. A statement, not a question.

"You're wrong. He's loud and annoying, that's why his absence is noticeable"

"And yet, you long to hear his voice. Hear his laugh and God forbid, even his jokes."

"Oh no, definitely not his jokes, but…" she stop to think better who was she talking to. She had been so lost in her thoughts that when the voice in her head started the conversation, she hadn't even paid attention as to which of her emotions was. The voice, unfamiliar, yet comforting, soothing. Somehow the one word she said out loud could answer her every question. "Who are you? I don't recall ever speaking to you before"

"Sometimes words are unnecessary. Sometimes you just… feel"

"You know well I don't "feel" things unless I allow them to, and you just… popped out of nowhere. Who are you? Why are you speaking up now?"

" Because we miss him dearly".

Later that night, Raven dreamt about how his smile could brighten her day, even If she didn't show it. How she could stare at those green eyes and how warm and comfortable she felt when she slept in his arms.

…

…

Before she knew it another week was gone and Raven couldn't take it anymore. Her emotions were acting up even more and remained in her room afraid she would destroy something by accident. Fighting the bad guys helped her release some of that penned up frustration she felt not knowing Beast Boy's whereabouts, but, she could only punish them to an extent.

Robin had to intervene more than once so her demonic side wouldn't take over and she could create some serious damage, perhaps even kill. Control Freak would not be able to watch any horror movies any time soon.

Dr Light had just come out of rehab, not being able to sleep in the dark anymore after his first encounter with Raven and whatever he saw within the midst of her cloak. This time he started trembling and fell on the floor in a fetus position just at the sight of her. When the police arrived, they only shook their head and wondered why would he even escape prison.

After that, Raven would return to her room, not caring about food or anything else. One morning, when Robin asked if anybody had seen Raven and no one had, he decided to pay her a visit. That afternoon he knocked on her door.

"Raven?… its me, Robin … can I come in?"

"No" she said without hesitation.

"Raven, I just wanna know what's going on"

"Nothing is going on Robin, go away!"

With an exasperated sigh, he pressed the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes and shook his head. "Raven? don't be so stubborn, You know I can override the code of your door." He saw the door encased in her dark energy before she replied. "Not anymore" She said a bit more defiant.

"Raven, I can wait out here for as long as I need to until I see you but you cant keep this shield forever so please, just… let me in"

She hated it but he was right, as exhausted as she was there was no way of keeping up the shield on the door, so instead, with a move of her hand, she opened it from the other side of her room. Robin saw the door open and carefully entered into the dark void of her room. It was chilly and felt a soft cool breeze against his face. For a moment he thought that maybe she had sent him thru one of her portals just as she had threaten others before when she was being pestered. It was dark but after a few moments his eyes adjusted enough to notice a small strand of light coming thru the curtain from the far end. He sigh in relief.

And there she was, leaning on her shoulder against the wall next to the window, arms crossed over her chest peeking outside thru the barely open curtain on the other side of her bed. He walked slowly not wanting to disrupt her thoughts anymore than necessary but tripped over something and almost fell. She waved her hand absentmindedly and a row of candles light up on top of her dresser. Not too bright, but shed enough light for him to see his steps.

He saw the candles flicker at the soft breeze and then looked up. A swirl of books, artifacts and clothes floating above his head in circles. Her bookcase was in disarray and other clothes lay on the floor in shreds. He resumed his walk over to the sorceress.

"I told you to go away" she said softly, not looking away from the window.

"Not when I know something bothers you to this extent" he said as he walked closer. He stopped in front of her, with her hood still over her head he could barely see part of her cheek, nose and chin. "I know you've been upset because Beast boy is not here but I know something else must have happened to bring you into this depression. Please tell me."

She took a deep breath and let it out in shaking intervals before answering "He chose her" and a tear run down her cheek. Carefully, he dried the runaway tear and softly pulled her chin to face him.

"What do you mean, how do you know that?" she was looking down as he pulled the hood off of her head her eyes were swollen from crying who knows how long and had dark circles under her eyes.

"I called him a few days ago. I was planning on going and I called him to find out exactly where he was but… she answered and said he wasn't available to take my call. When I asked her to tell him to call me back she said "I'll let him know you called but… I'm not sure if he's gonna call you back"… I should have known back on the boat. I offered him my help but he flat out rejected me and took her instead"

He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and put his cheek on top of her head. After a moments he tried to push him away "I've told you before Robin, I don't need your pity" she said while trying to hold back a sob.

"Raven, pity is the last thing I feel for you right now…" he continued after she struggled some more to get free " sshhh , listen to me… Raven?… will you please listen to me?" she stopped struggling and started to sob instead.

"Raven, what makes you think he would choose her, or anybody else for that matter, over you…"

she shrugged in his arms and after a couple of deep breaths she said "I don't know, maybe because I'm grey with purple eyes and hair, short tempered, sarcastic even mean to him. Not mentioning I'm part demon and can make things explode at random"

"None of us cares about that. He, doesn't care about that, in fact, I would say that's why he's attracted to you. Raven… you don't seem to see yourself how the rest of us do. I'll tell you what he sees that you don't. He sees a beautiful, smart, awesome, one of a kind woman that keeps him grounded that makes him try to do better every day just to impress you and that's not recent, that started ever since he met you… that's not something he's gonna forget overnight just because a pretty girl walks in front of him"

Something else in the room exploded but neither of them moved. "That still doesn't explain why he took her instead" She was calm now but not enough as the things were still circling above them. Her head against his shoulder. He chuckled to her comment.

"The only reason he took her instead is because she knows where his parent's graves are" this made her look up.

"What? I thought he would know that already" she said with a frown. He shook his head no and with a smile he said "No, he didn't. Dr Simmons told me he was gone before they ever found the bodies. He didn't even know they had graves he could visit. And if Meliah had his communicator is because he wanted privacy… I bet you that this entire time, he's been talking to them and didn't want any interruptions"

"You sound so sure…How do you know?"

"Because I also lost parents when I was young, but unlike him, I was around when they were buried and I visited their grave every day just to tell them how much I missed them and how my day was. It is because of what happened to them that I decided to fight crime."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know"

"Don't be. I don't regret one bit my decision. That led me to have a great team and most of all great friends that I'm willing to risk my life for anytime. Even if they don't want me to"

She smiled a little at this while he kissed her forehead and pulled her back against his chest. This time she hugged him back.

Starfire was at the door that wasn't completely closed. She peaked inside, curious as to why Raven's door was open that's when she saw Robin kissing Raven on her forehead and hugged each other tightly. She had not been present for the rest of their conversation but as the mayhem of things came down, everything was silent for a moment before she heard Raven say

"Thanks Robin, I don't know what I would have done without you" He let go off her and said "Only for you".

Starfire's eyes went wide then narrowed along with a frown and took off silently before anybody noticed her presence.

Raven walked over to the pile of things that had fallen from the ceiling and started to sort it out. Robin walking on the opposite side trying to help pick up fallen figurines and broken pieces of small statues that had been destroyed.

"Hey Robin… when you told Starfire you would take her dancing after the mission, did you mean it?"

"Of course. I even made reservations at a nice restaurant with a dance floor"

"How did it go?"

"I never told her and I had to postpone it anyway."

"Why?"

"Well… after the encounter we had with Control freak I was kinda worried about you. I knew you were upset because Beast Boy wasn't here and I didn't think it was fair to you to…"

"To rub more salt on the wound?… she interrupted. She had also stopped cleaning while she heard his explanation. "Robin, is not fair for Starfire. You could have at least told her you had plans. Is not fair for her to keep her waiting like that"

"I know, and I tried but every time I looked for her, she was gone. Cyborg says she's been going to the park a lot lately"

"why have you not gone looking for her. Aren't you worried about her?"

"Why? Is there something to be worried about?'' he said, this time he drop the pieces of clothes he had in his hands and frown.

"Not that I know. But, aren't you the least bit curious though?"

"I'll talk to her tonight." he said after a moment and resumed cleaning. "Besides, I don't want to jump to conclusions and say the wrong thing. That's what got me in trouble with her last time" he said as he dumped the clothes in a hamper near the closet.

A small piece of garment fell from the bundle on his shoe and when he picked it up to the level of his eyes and turned it with his fingers, trying to make sense of what exactly it was, found a small black bow. But as he realized what it was, his eyes went wide open and suddenly the piece was encased in dark energy, snatched from his fingers and thrown in the hamper while the lid levitated in place.

"I prefer to sort out my own clothes if you don't mind. You can get the broken pieces by the mirror"

He nodded and without a word headed to the dresser where the mirror was broken in pieces all over including the open drawers. Another shred of glass fell, this time inside the top drawer which was halfway open with barely anything in it. He stuck his hand trying to get to the piece of glass while balancing other pieces on his other hand but when he pulled it, another small garment was stuck on the edge of the glass and his fingers. This time the lace material was pink with a small rose bud.

A drop of sweat fell from his forehead as he tried in vain to disentangle the thong from the glass only with his fingers but managed to rip it instead. He hung his head and turn to Raven who was now facing him with her arms folded across her chest. He gave the ruined garment to her while he blushed and whispered "sorry".

She narrowed her eyes and said "And this is why I don't let anybody in my room"

"Sorry" he said again. This time the broken pieces of glass where encase en her dark energy and carefully pulled away from him and thrown in the trash can.

"How about you leave me the cleaning and you check on Starfire"

"But.."

"NOW!" she said eyes glowing white.

"Yes ma'am" he said and run out of her room.

…

…

Starfire flew her way to the roof while tears run freely down her cheeks. She stepped on the edge and sat down, hands on her lap, head bent and looking down to nothing in particular. She sniffed a couple of times before pulling her communicator out and dialed the number she now knew by memory.

"Hey Gorgeous, ready for… Star? What's wrong, why are you crying?"

"It's awful… I feel like a fool… I'm angry, I'm sad, I don't know what to do… please friend, can you meet me right now. I really need your company" she said as more tears blurred her vision of the screen.

"Of course Star, just come, I'm already at our spot" Starfire tried to smile before closing the communicator. She flew towards the park at the edge of the city and was almost there, she could even see Red X waiting by the fountain when a loud explosion caught her attention and while she turned to see where had it come from, a missile collided with her and with the loud explosion knocked her out of the air as the thief watched in horror.

"STARFIRE!" he yelled as he run towards her landing site. There was smoke everywhere and cars on fire. And there, in the middle of a crater, lay the tamarenean unconscious. But as Red X made his way to her, he was hit with a light post and was sent flying across the street and crashed into a wall.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26. F. F. F. **

Alarms and sirens went off and could be heard throughout the tower. The three remaining titans made their way to the common room to the main computer.

"Who is it?" asked Raven upon arrival, Robin was already there and Cyborg came in running a few seconds after.

"Cinderblock and … Slade?"

"Slade?, I thought the dude died after that deal with Trigon. What can he be doing here now?" asked Cyborg as he too was at the computer checking the police status.

"I don't know but he wont escape this time… where is Starfire?" he said after turning around towards the door.

"I bet you she's probably already there… Rob, the attacks are right outside the park she's been going to and I have live reports that say Starfire has been knocked down by a missile of some kind.

"Then the location is no coincidence. Cinderblock alone could not have planned an ambush on his own" Raven said as she pulled her hood up and created a bubble of dark energy that surrounded them and phased thru the floor.

…

…

Starfire woke up to the rumble the ground made as heavy footsteps made their way towards her. The smoke and heavy dust made it difficult for her to discern her surroundings or her attacker, but as she was getting ready to get up, a massive fist made out of rock swung down towards her but she was able to slip off right before her assailant made the thunderous contact with the ground.

Her eyes glow green and she started to throw star bolts at her now known attacker. Cinderblock. Who's massive fists and arms collided with every building in his way trying to knock the flying girl out of the air. As the smoke dissipated, Starfire noticed from high above the endless amount of slade-bots making their way across the street towards a barely conscious Red X.

At that moment, the dark bubble of energy reappeared on the side of the street and the rest of the titans quickly looked around looking for their friend and her attackers in the middle of the mayhem. As soon as Robin yelled "Titans, Go!" they were showered with lasers coming from all direction.

Robin had seen Cinderblock a few blocks down the street, swinging his arms trying to swat the alien girl who was throwing star bolts at him, but was blocked by an small army of robots who didn't hesitate in using their laser guns at close range. Robin jumped, kicked, rolled on the floor and swung his bo staff at their heads and thru their chest. While some of them exploded on impact, others short circuited and started to convulse and fall to the ground. But more and more made their way to him.

Meanwhile, Cyborg was blasting as many robots as he could with his sonic cannon on his way to Starfire. Raven was able to fend off most of the lasers with her shields while she levitated. Throwing cars on fire and dumpsters to stop them.

Starfire was growing tired, her star bolts barely affected the goliath and his approach was more and more menacing yet still slow. So when he extended his arms ready to close them in to grab her with both hands, she flew backwards and made a full 360 degree circle just to gain speed and she made her way upwards towards his head and with all her might, used her right fist to punch the giant with a thunderous collision making him almost loose his footing and step backwards.

Once, twice, three, even four times she repeated her attack, using her speed to gain momentum in each blow, but her strength wasn't infinite and was starting to sweat and breath heavily from exertion.

Across the street, Red X was on his hands and knees trying to regain his balance. His back was sore and his chest from the crash on the wall. He got to his knees and shook his head once more before focusing on his surroundings. Strange robots were closing in on him as he tried to teleport but his utility belt was damaged from the fall, so he used his rubbery exes instead. The robots didn't hesitate and started to shoot at him. He rolled on the floor, kicked and jumped to knock out his assailants who didn't stop their attacks. The lasers however bounced off of his cape. Something he never knew until now and made a mental note to someday thank Robin for designing the suit that was now keeping him alive. But his arsenal was getting low and without his belt, his chances of advantage were slim to none, so he decided to use his bo staff and jumped in the air, swinging left and right to their heads.

He jumped over the shoulders of another one causing a second and third robot to shoot down the one that was holding him. Others did the same as the thief kept getting using them to shield himself. The robots never missing their target but a mighty kick on his back and a blow from a staff to his shoulder, made the thief loose his balance landing unceremoniously on the ground rolling on the floor to soften his impact and colliding on the wall that stopped his out of control landing. His own staff rolled to the side away from him.

Red x quickly regained his consciousness and pushed himself from the wall and took a fighting stance in front of his opponent. A tall muscular man with a suit and armor, equipped with a bo staff and attached to his back were two swords. A mask like his own covered his opponent's face except that he only had one eye, half of the mask was black, the other half golden like the rest of his armor. Slade made the sign of "come and get me" and the thief restarted his attack.

A few blocks away, Cinderblock was almost defeated. Raven had come to Starfire's aid and with both of them together, the giant had less luck on his attacks. When he finally fell, Raven used her magic to pull an iron beam from one of the destroyed buildings and used it to wrap it around the legs and arms of the goliath.

Starfire looked to the ground to asses the situation. Robin was outnumbered as was Cyborg, regardless of his cannon fully loaded. But gasped when she saw Red X fighting Slade across the street so she started to fly towards him. Raven saw her intention and tried to stop her.

"Star wait. We cant take Slade alone"

"Neither can Red X but he's trying anyway. Go help your lover while I help mine" she said her harsh words with as much venom as she could and with narrowed eyes nodded towards Robin.

"What?!" Raven said taken by surprise but her question fell on deaf ears as Starfire was already halfway gone to help the thief. She shook her head, thinking that she would dwell on her friend's words later. Right now the guys needed help.

First she went to Robin who was now on the ground trying to fend off as many robots as he could from his disadvantaged point. During their training sessions, Raven had been trying a new way to use her dark magic and instead of just encasing objects, she could now use it to slice thru them like a knife with the form of a whip but never had she used it in real battle as it required concentration and great precision, especially if a living being was nearby as she could also cut them in half.

So Raven started with the robots that were scattered. Three and four at the time were falling in pieces at her feet. Carefully she made her way towards Robin and a last flick of her wrist destroyed many of the robots that were hovering above him and he was able to get to his feet and dispose of the remaining robots close by then both headed towards Cyborg who's cannon wasn't having enough results.

Starfire flew across the street towards Slade and used her speed to her advantage, but the criminal had seen her from afar and with a quick move, jumped out of her way making it impossible for the girl to stop her collision on the robots and immediately to the wall.

Robin had heard the commotion and watched in horror how the Tamarenean fell into her own trap. Robots were falling over her but the strength she posses is beyond anyone around, allowed her to send flying most of her assailants. Robin had come to her aid and when he approached the villain, saw who he was fighting against. Red X , who was bent over against the wall, hands on his knees, panting while Robin had his turn with Slade.

Robin threw a series of kicks and punches all with barely to none contact as the villain was faster and more agile. With a swing of his leg onto Robin's chest, Slade sent the Boy Wonder spinning a few times before he crashed into the wall but quickly recovered his footing and took a fighting position , staff in hand, panting and waiting for Slade's next move. But as he prepared to attack the villain again, Starfire crashed onto the pavement in front of Robin and Red X, both screamed her name at the same time.

She landed on a crater twice her size as someone had knocked her out of the sky with such a force that left them wondering who could be that strong to do just that. And out of a cloud of smoke appeared Blackfire, eyes glowing and star bolts ready with a sinister smile which from the back of her belt, produced a pair of strange shackles that she secured right before Starfire woke up.

Robin had tried to get to Starfire but Slade attacked him again. Red X tried a different approach but was weak and sore from the previous attacks and now, the evil sister had taken advantage and aimed her star bolts at him with enough force that he was now bleeding and forced him remain on the ground

The other Titans had tried to approach but Blackfire had showered them with star bolts and even managed to destroy part of Cyborg's sonic cannon and knock him out in the process.

Raven had gone to Red X side and lifted a shield right before Blackfire started her attack again, and although the star bolts had little success in breaking the shield, the force of her fists alone was able to break thru forcing the sorceress to fall backwards next to the thief who was now barely conscious. The evil sister then grabbed Raven by the neck with enough force that was blocking her airways and was soon limp on the ground.

"Rae…" was all Reed X could say before passing out.

Starfire regained consciousness and soon found her hands and feet tied and secured and started to panic when she realized that no matter how strongly she pulled, her binds would not give in and when she tried to use her star bolts, the material of her shackles prevented them from break thru and even reverted the effect making her grunt in pain.

"Hello sister dear, missed me?"

"Blackfire" she said thru gritted teeth.

Robin in the main time, had been still fighting Slade but the moment Starfire woke up, got distracted and Slade made his move sending the Boy Wonder to the wall where four robots took hold of his legs and arms. Exhausted from fighting, Robin had no choice but to remain in his place.

"What do you want Slade?" asked Robin with such sour taste at the mention of his nemesis.

"You know Robin, if I didn't know better, I would say you're inside that suit again" he said nodding towards the thief while he walked calmly towards Robin with his hands behind his back.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Robin said as he struggled to get free.

"Ah Robin, you have so much to learn but all I can tell you is that you are no longer needed for my plans"

"hello Robin, long time no see" Said Blackfire as she approached them carrying a bundled Starfire who was now wearing something like goggles over her eyes to prevent her from using her lasers at them but still allowed her to see thru blurred glasses.

"Blackfire? You're working with Slade, since when?"

With a smile and a sensual sway of her hips walked over to Slade and placed a hand on his chest while she turned to Robin. "Since my little sister overthrown me from my rightful place in my planet but… I've been doing more than working with him, dear. "

"You cant be serious"

"Robin, Robin… one of the things you still have to learn is that, tamareneans are… how should I say it… wild in bed. If any of you makes it out alive, I recommend you try it" Slade said nodding towards Starfire.

"No dear, the wild one is only me. My little sister wouldn't know how to please a man even if she wanted to. But you know Robin, seeing you like this and how much you've grown in so many… places…" Blackfire taunted, she had walked in front of Robin and was running a finger along his chest, stomach and had stopped just above his groin. "… I could give you a demonstration… Wouldn't you think sister dear? That way, he'll know what to expect"

Starfire could not see clearly but the silhouettes and colors, and could tell where Robin and her sister were. "Leave him alone Blackfire" she yelled trying in vain to get free while Slade watched In amusement the entire scene.

The ground started to rumble and Raven was waking up, coughing.

"Quickly dear, put the witch in her shield before she wakes up" and with the push of a button on Slade's arm, a bubble like shield enveloped Raven and lifted her in the air, the same with Red X and Starfire who never stopped struggling.

The ground rumbled louder as if heavy steps were approaching, and that's when they heard the mighty roar of a T-Rex coming from around the corner a few blocks away and then a second one coming from the opposite side, one green and one brown respectively, stomping on the many slade-bots trying to stop them. They swung tales and bit them in half as they approached.

"That idiot is still alive… how?" Growled Blackfire and her eyes started to glow, but Slade stopped her before she took off.

"Not now Blackfire, we got what we came for, its time to go"

He ordered another batch of robots to come out and shoot missiles at the prehistoric animals while they made their escape. One of them exploded right in front of Beast Boy who jumped, turned into a falcon and flew just above the robots that had the heavy machinery and turned into a whale and fell on top of them. Then turned into a kangaroo and with strong hind legs, kicked the ones holding Robin down while Meliah swung her tail, then turned into a rhino and charged at the remaining robots on the other side of the street.

Robin and Beast Boy run to help Cyborg who was until now regaining consciousness.

"Cyborg, you ok?"

"B? Boy am I glad to see you man" Said the metal man while he rubbed his head and his human eye stopped being blurred. Meliah came running after the last robot was destroyed and kneeled next to him.

"Victor, you're hurt" she said with a worried frown. Cyborg was about to protest and demand why was she calling him by his real name but when he saw her worried expression decided to let it pass for now.

"Nah, nothing that I cant repair. I still have a good hand so it will take me no time to be repaired.

"Dude, was that really Slade.. After all this time?" asked Beast Boy incredulous, looking around the chaos around them.

"Yes, and he's not alone. Blackfire is with him and they took the girls and Red X"

"What!?" said the other three in unison.

"Don't worry guys, I have a new trick under my sleeve and this time he wont be able to escape.. "


	27. Chapter 27

**hello everyone, I just wanted to thank you all for reading and reviewing and sticking with me this far. **

**...**

**Chapter 27. Ambush and clear hearts**

_Four days ago_

From the shadows of a cave high above the waterfall, two figures emerged, careful to not let the sun light give away their position.

"You see now how vulnerable they are. This way we hold the advantage? They're already a Titan short. We can now make sure they stay that way" said Slade.

"What about that other creature. Do you think she's a real threat?" Asked Blackfire.

"She can be, but this way, they'll be too busy staying alive and even if they escape this attack, I have another surprise for them" this made her smile with narrowed eyes as she watched the green Titan and his friend in careless abandon with no idea they were being surrounded. Slade turned to the girl and handed her a device that seemed to be a remote control.

"Here, give them the order"

"With pleasure, dear…" then she pressed a button and spoke "Attack!, destroy them both" They watched for a moment as the robots approached from different directions towards the clearing where the two changelings were. Then turned around back into the cave. Minutes later, the engine of a jet came to life and it took off , exiting their hideout from the other side of the mountain.

In the main time, down in the clearing…

"I'll tell him you called Raven… " Meliah said into the screen while she turned to her left to look at Garfield a few feet away from her, sitting in front of the graves. He looked over his shoulder and she gave him a knowing smile then turned back to speak to Raven. "I'm just not sure if he'll call you back any time soon" Raven's expression had hardened when she said "Thanks" and terminated the call.

"… and she's amazing mom, she's beautiful and very intelligent… I know you and dad would have liked her"

Meliah heard him say as she approached him. Place a hand softly on his shoulder while offering him his communicator. "You should call her soon. I can tell she misses you" she said softly to him with a smile. He turned to look at her while he said "Thanks M" and turned back to his parents.

When Meliah straighten up, something felt different. Her eyes averted to every detail in their surroundings and there, on the far left, among the bushes was a darker spot. She squinted her eyes while a breeze shook the bush and the figure remained still until it turned her way showing a masked face looking straight at her. She gasped and started to walk backwards towards Garfield who was oblivious to their surroundings. As she backed up, the figure slowly made its way out of his hideout place, and then another one just like it from farther behind and another one from the opposite side of the clearing. Slowly but surely, they were being surrounded.

"Gar?"

The figures came out in the open. All dressed in black with a golden mask, holding a laser gun with both hands, swords attached to their backs.

"Gar…"

"What should I do dad? Kiss her first before asking her out? Or ask her out before kissing her?" he said still sitting, his back to the world.

"GARFIELD! You wont even have a chance to call her back if you don't look up NOW!" She emphasized and a second later, Garfield heard a bear roar. He turned just in time to evade the swing of a sword and turned into a kangaroo, jumped and with hind legs in front of him, pushed the three men ready to attack, but the moment they went flying, they collided with another two behind them, making them explode.

Garfield made a back flip and turned into a tiger mid air, pouncing and hitting the robots on their heads with his huge paws. Meliah had turned into an anaconda, then a raptor, using her claws to rip apart the chest of her attackers.

But the more they destroyed the more appeared and the next batch started shooting their laser guns and the changelings decided to use bigger animals. A green elephant swung its trunk around, sending many of the robots flying and crashing into trees. A rhino charged head on to another group smashing them on the rocks. But the small clearing started to get crowded and destroyed. Trees were on fire thanks to the laser's missed targets, which had also hit the tombstones and made burning marks on the bottom and sides of their names.

This made Garfield angry and turned into a T-rex, swinging his tale and biting the heads off causing tingles of electricity run thru his jaw. That gave him an idea. He regroup with Meliah closer to the rocks and quickly explained his plan, then she run as fast as she could towards the water, fly off as high as the waterfall and turned into a whale on the way down. She fell at an angle just so when she touched the water made a splash high enough to reach the clearing while Garfield turned into an electric eel and released all the electricity that he could muster, causing every robot to short circuit at the same time.

Meliah came walking, careful not to touch anything metal as they were still charged. Garfield was back in his human form and stood up the moment she reached him.

"M? is this what you sensed the day we came?"

"I didn't know what it was, it just felt unnatural"

" Remind me to never doubt your instincts again." she smiled at him but another movement caught their attention. The upper half of one of the robots started to prop itself up and pushed a button on its chest and collapse shortly after.

"Gar, what are these? Where did they come from?"

"Not sure M. but if I didn't know better, I would say Slade sent them"

"Who's Slade?"

"A really bad dude that was supposed to be dead years ago. Or so we thought. This are his kind of minions… but they look different" he said kneeling in front of the one that had moved last and inspected it closer .

"I wonder why did he just pushed this button?" he said getting up and as if on cue, an explosion was heard. They looked up and around to find a clue and there, high above and beyond the waterfall, a cloud of dark smoke rose angrily. They looked at each other and in unison they said "The village!" and without another word, they run and turn into birds and flew towards the smoke. Garfield as a condor and Meliah as an eagle, flew as fast as their wings allowed them.

When they arrived, half of the village was destroyed. Several houses and small building were on fire and people was running around, trying to either take cover or help the injured. The first thing Garfield did as soon as he landed was to reach for his communicator to call for help, but unfortunately, a stray laser had made its way to it and was fried beyond repair. He tossed it aside and run towards the houses on fire along with Meliah to help rescue the ones trapped and put out the fires.

They flew high above around the sight to make sure no more robots emerged. When that was clear, he left Meliah to help in the village while he flew east to the closest town to get medical help for the injured. He flew almost for ten minutes before finding the next spot of civilization which were already notified and on their way with medical supplies and firefighters to help put out the fires that were spreading.

It took them almost two days to get everything under control. They turned into bloodhounds and help look for missing people that perhaps were trapped in the rubble.

Fortunately, no one was in danger of dying. When everything was under control, they decided to leave and return to jump City to warn the others, but Garfield doubted Slade would have waited this long to attack them, but he had to try. Before they departed however, the elder man who had welcomed them when they first arrived, asked to speak with Garfield in private. After thanking him for their help, he gave him a small red velvet pouch. It was rather old but well kept.

Garfield poured the contents on his hand and gasped, inside was also a small note, and when he read it all color left him and a tear run freely on his cheek. Meliah entered to remind him they had to go but when she saw his face the moment he turned, it alarmed her but he reassured her everything was more than fine and quickly put away the small pouch and the note inside of one of the compartments of his belt, thanked the man with a handshake and left running with Meliah to the nearest airport.

_**Present **_

Slade and Blackfire arrived at the depths of the cave were they had been hiding and planning their revenge. They were followed by a small army of robots that carried the bubble like force fields containing the girls and the still unconscious thief.

The three bubbles were in a semi circle in the middles of the chamber above consoles that kept the bubbles suspended in the air with Raven in the middle, Starfire to her left and the thief to her right.

Blackfire who had her arms crossed over her chest and a frown, suddenly spun around to face Slade.

"You should have let me get rid off that idiot"

"If you were not able to do it before when he was the most vulnerable, what makes you think that you can do it now that he knows we were behind the attack" he said calmly. This made her angrier and her eyes started to glow.

"Maybe I could have done a much better job than your stupid new robots. Besides, you know I couldn't be seen or he would have called my sister and this whole surprise attack would've never happened"

"Enough Blackfire!. We have what we needed and my plan is set in motion, we have no time for more distractions" he said sternly, never deterred by her strength and short temper. Her eyes stopped glowing but was still angry, so thru gritted teeth she said "Fine!" and flew out of the chamber.

"You two deserve each other. I cant wait to see who stabs who in the back first." said Raven with a sarcastic monotone. She was floating inside the bubble in a lotus position while watching with amusement at the two villains.

"Hello Raven, its been such a long time. How have you been?"

"Not long enough. What do you want with us? What did you do to Beast Boy?"

"Ah, Beast Boy, as I recall, he was being very attentive with his friend Meliah. What a couple they made."

"They're NOT a couple!" she said now standing on her feet, fists charged with dark energy and eyes glowing red.

"Touched a nerve I see. And don't even try to use your powers in there. I wouldn't recommend it. You know Raven, for someone who has to repress her emotions to control her powers is showing awful lot for a man that obviously chose someone else"

"Shut up Slade. I know what you're trying to do and it wont work. Why don't you tell me what you're plan is instead. Either way Robin will find us and bring you down once and for all"

"In time Raven in time" he said as he started to leave but a moan made them turn in its direction. Red X was slowly waking up but there was also blood around him. He tried to get up but the shooting pain on the side of his stomach was unbearable.

"Slade, you have to let me heal him. That wound is deep and he can bleed out unless he gets it checked."

"Don't worry Raven, He'll live…" but as he said those words, Red X made a last effort to get up then collapsed with no more signs of even breathing.

"Slade, if killing him was part of your idea then you would have left him behind but you didn't, which means he's part of your plan somehow and I don't think he would be any good to you while dead, so, let me. Save him." there was a hint of desperation in her words.

"Please Slade, I'm begging you, let Raven heal his wounds" said Starfire speaking for the first time since they arrived in the cave. She was kneeling inside the bubble. Hands still chained, eyes still covered by the goggles. She could barely make out her surroundings but heard the desperate tone Raven had spoken in and Raven never did desperate, let alone begging, so she did that instead.

Slade hesitated for a moment, looking from one girl to the other and with the push of a button on a small remote concealed in his left arm, the two consoles containing the thief and the sorceress started to move towards each other and slowly collided, merging and popping open a space big enough for Raven to pass thru. She kneeled the best she could next to him and placed her hands over his stomach. Her hands started to glow and as her dark energy entered his body thru the open wounds, she felt the extent of the damage. Skin, muscle and ligaments were burnt but no important veins or organs.

But there was something else. Something familiar. Something she had only sensed once, but she kept going as Slade had made his way in front of her to assess her progress. His wounds were almost healed and she made one last push into his mind. A recent memory. And there, for a split second, saw his reflection on the mirror thru his eyes and gasped softly removing her hands off his body almost with a jerk. The thief then took in a sharp breath and out of reflex grabbed Raven's hand and turned to look at her.

"Hey beautiful" he said softly. Almost apologetic.

"Enough!, he'll live now, go back to your force field Raven. Your help is no longer required"

Reluctantly she let go of his hand, never looking away from the eyes of his mask. "Rest" was all she said and levitated back to her bubble. The consoles parted from each other again and the bubbles closed once more.

Blackfire return the moment the consoles made the last movements back to their previous position.

"What's going on here?" she asked landing next to Slade who was watching a thoughtful Raven. She had the hood of her cloak over her head and was now floating again on a lotus position.

" Nothing. Lets go. We have last minute details to go over" and without a second glance to her sister, Blackfire followed Slade out of the chamber.

"Raven?" asked Starfire quietly.

"Yes Star?" said in her emotionless tone. Her words came rushing back and the image of Starfire's accusing expression from earlier popped into her mind reliving the confusion all over.

"Will Red X be ok?" she sounded defeated, sad. As if she had given up any hope.

"Yes, he just needs to rest… Star? Mind telling me what did you mean by "your lover" when you referred to Robin earlier?" there was silence that stretched far too long. Raven opened her eyes and turned to the alien who was still kneeling, head bent, shackled hands on her lap.

"Well?" insisted Raven. Her patience running thin as her words had bothered her earlier.

"I rather not" she said quietly.

"Why?"

"It is not the place or time to speak of such things" Star said after a moment.

"It is the perfect time and place as it is pointless to wait since we don't know when we'll be getting out. So, I'll ask one more time… what, did you mean?"

"She's jealous of you Raven. Jealous of the kind of relationship you have with Robin and feels left out" Red X said from the other side of Raven. He was now reclining the best he could as the shape of the force field was too uncomfortable in any position.

"What!?" Raven snapped her head towards him then turned to Starfire who was now struggling to take off the goggles off her face and with a final grunt of exasperation got what she wanted.

"Friend Red X, that was rude and inappropriate of you to expose my thoughts without me approving prior of you doing so" she yelled and her eyes were glowing green.

"I'm sorry Star, but I had to. She's the only one who can clear the doubts you have"

"I have no doubts any more, I saw them hugging in her room in near dark and…"

"Enough! You two. I'm standing right here…. You!…" Raven pointed at the thief and said "Stay out if this… you have some explaining to do later…" then turned to the girl who's eyes were no longer glowing and was holding back tears of anger. "Starfire, is this true?" she said softly this time.

"Yes…" Starfire said after a moment trying to pass the knot on her throat.

"The relationship you two have is one I cannot fully understand. Even though you don't speak much of how you feel about anything, Robin can always tell whether you're sad, or upset or even happy. He knows what to say when he needs you to talk and then you just do and he respects your opinion and takes it into consideration and always checks with you before any important decisions and all the while never forgetting about your feelings…"

"Star…"

"And then is like you have your own language. The looks, the gestures. Sometimes not a single word is needed and yet you understand each other… but with me, he barely lets me in, he doesn't take me seriously and then, I saw him in your room, almost in the dark, embracing each other and I even heard him say "only for you" . so tell me friend, if I can even call you that, how am I supposed to feel or even think after all that"

"Star… I'm sorry… I never knew my friendship with Robin could bother you so…" she said quietly, astonished to what she just heard, even reliving the moment in her room and realizing how wrong it probably seemed to her friend.

"You misunderstand friend. It doesn't bother me that you're friends. What bothers me is how close you two are. I've been in love with him for many years now and I am yet to achieve that kind of bond or any kind for that matter." she sniffed once more as she kept looking to the ground.

"Star, he was the first one to ever trust me without questions and invited me into the team. He was the first one not to send me away after finding out about what I was destined to do and he even went into hell and back to rescue me, so in short, I owe him my life and I've been in his mind and know exactly how he thinks, that's why we don't need any words. So please, stop worrying about that. Besides, he doesn't like me that way. He likes you, but you make him nervous…"

"But what about your room?" Star said looking up with hopeful eyes. Raven sighed, she felt embarrassed to remember the reason why.

"You're right when you say he can tell when I'm upset. I had been worried that.. Beast Boy had chosen Meliah and forgotten all about me. So when he came by and I explained to him what happened he tried to make me feel better. And when I hugged him back is because he gave me a perspective that I had not thought of, so I was happy enough to regained control of my emotions and my powers."

"So, he really likes me?" Star said after a few minutes.

"Yes.. He even had planned the date he promised you with dinner and dancing"

"Really? Oh that's wondrous… friend Red X you were right all along."

"So wait, Red X is not your lover?" Raven asked pointing to the thief on the other side while he snapped out of his revere and turned his head sharply "What!?"

"Forgive me friends, for I was upset at the moment." said Star while shaking her head no and smiled up at Raven. "He is a wonderful friend and was kind enough to lend me his shoulder to cry on"

" And I thought you were after Starfire, I mean, now it would make sense …"

"I know what you saw Raven, and that somehow you already know, but let me tell you this, I'm not exactly like him. For starters I'm a thief. And I steal things, not hearts. Robin and Beast Boy already warned me to stay away from you two and If I was to even try to snatch either one of you from them, I'm sure I would definitely not live longer than the time it would take them to kill me."

"What!? They did that? When?"

"The day I…" He was interrupted by a loud explosion muffled by the closed metal doors. Red X quickly got up as did the girls to prepare for whatever was coming. Starfire then started to used the beams from her eyes to try to destroy the shackles on her hands.

The material was strong and noticed something familiar on it. It was the same kind of lock as the ones she once had when she first arrived to earth. She felt panic as she started to have an idea of her sister's plan . And so slowly, started to work on it again as it would take time to break free with just her eye beams.

…

…


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28. Double.**

The cave had an underground entrance, with a canning factory under construction for a decoy so any kind of noise, rumble or even explosions would go unnoticed and without suspicion. It was in the middle of an open rocky terrain, big enough to pass as a small desert with a mountain in the background at least two miles away.

Robin was assessing the area with high tech binoculars that Cyborg had designed. The telescope reach was up to five miles with digital readings able to calculate distances in between objects, speed, temperature and even weather conditions. Also they could identify makes and nature of any possible artillery that came in view, along with night vision, camera and radar.

"It even tells time" Cyborg had said with a big smile the first time he presented the prototype to the rest of the Titans a few months ago.

This was one of Cyborg's favorite and most proud of inventions. It was the same technology he was built with, times five hundred. And it came in handy as they were spying on Slade's new hideout from almost three miles away because the place was infested with new generation Slade-bots, armed with laser guns, machine guns and heat seeking missiles.

Robin had come up with a plan after a couple of hours of deliberating about the location. He had managed to attach a tracking device on Slade during their earlier encounter. He had to admit that although a thief, Red X had had a brilliant idea about tagging their opponent with a tracking device rather than their friends while being captured and taken hostage.

After a few debates they decided to use Cyborg's new toy and that's when they discovered the amount of robots surrounding the area. Without Raven's dark magic to phase them thru without being noticed, they risk the chance of being discovered before getting anywhere near the entrance. So they needed a diversion and also infiltrate with the least amount of force as they didn't want to risk their friend's safety inside.

Garfield said that he and Meliah could turn into rodents and get past their security guards without much trouble.

"B, the only flaw with your plan, is that they're programmed to shoot and destroy whatever moves near them, even if is an animal" Said Cyborg applying the last few touches on his new arm. A new sonic canon that could intensify the blast's range and when used to the max, could disintegrate anything in its path.

"hmmm, hey Rob, what about Kid Flash. The dude is fast and can take BB and Meliah closer to the entrance"

"Good idea Cyborg, he can get pass them without being detected by their radars. I'll call him right now" and he walked to the nearest computer to locate kid Flash while Cyborg went to the garage and prepare the T-ship.

It had been more than two hours since they arrived and the wait was making him restless, Garfield had been pacing back and forth for a few minutes now, with a frown and lost in thought, he stopped in front of the window not really looking at anything in particular but wondering why was taking Robin and Cyborg so long to get ready to leave.

Meliah came to stand next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder and said softly "Gar, don't worry, we'll get there on time'' He nodded once without looking away from the glass.

A few minutes later, Robin was giving the "Titans, Go!" after letting them know Kid Flash would meet them two miles away from Slade's lair and get their plan in motion.

They arrived a few minutes after Kid Flash did. He was waiting leaning against a tree, when he heard the engine of the T-ship hover around the area.

"About time you got here, I was getting tired of waiting" he joked to the others when they got off the vehicle then made a double take when Meliah came into view. She was wearing one of Beast Boy's Doom Patrol uniforms since none of her clothes were shape shifter friendly.

Garfield noticed Kid Flash staring flat out at Meliah's every move and knew it bothered her because of her scars. So, while Robin assed the area, he walked over to the speedster.

"Dude, don't do that, it makes her uncomfortable" Garfield said quietly.

"Sorry dude, but she's just so pretty. Who is she? I've never seen her before"

"A friend of mine, her name is Meliah…" but before he was finished, he rushed towards the girl to introduce himself.

"Hi there, I'm Wally, You're pretty" this caught Meliah by surprise. The young man in front of her was almost as tall as her, red hair and deep blue eyes, playful with a sparkle and a sweet smile to go with it.

"Nice to meet you… thanks?…" she averted her eyes were Garfield was smiling, shaking his head in surprise and disbelief before Robin Called everyone.

"Alright Titans, you know what to do. Slade has the girls trapped in a force field that annuls their powers and Red X's belt was damage during the earlier fight. Kid Flash, as soon as the diversion is accomplished, get inside help rescue the girls"

"What about Red X?, a thought the guy was a thief"'

"He is, but in this particular circumstance we have come to an understanding and right now is as helpless as the girls are without their powers" Robin said in a tone that allowed no more argument. He didn't feel comfortable discussing the fact that he was working alongside a thief.

"Titans, Go!" Yelled Robin, while simultaneously Beast boy and Meliah turned into mice , Kid Flash picked them up and run so fast, his trail was a yellow and red blur. He run right in between the robots who were walking around with laser guns in hand. He dropped them off inside right before a door closed and got out to run around their machine guns.

Finally the robots caught sight of him on the radar and started to shoot at him. He managed to kick the guns off their hands and tried to knock them out, but almost broke his hand in the process. He changed his tactic, and instead, used their own radar to target himself and when the robots released the heat seeking missile, he redirected it to the other cannon. A loud earth shaking explosion was heard from the inside.

Meanwhile, Garfield and Meliah had turned into snakes and slither their way along the edge of the wall towards the next chamber. They saw Slade and Blackfire inside of what it seemed a control room but couldn't hear what were they discussing.

Garfield looked around and turned into a fly followed by Meliah and tried to find a minuscule entrance into that chamber but there was none to be found but towards the ceiling, was a vent that lead to the next chamber. They followed the small tunnel and that's when the explosion was heard. Dust and small rocks fell around them when they finally reached the exit and saw the three bubbles of energy containing the girls and the thief.

Garfield was so happy to see Raven he flew straight towards her and transformed back human.

"Rae, are you ok?!"

"Beast Boy! How did you find us?" she said as she straighten up her legs.

"Robin got the idea from Red X to attach a tracking device on Slade" he said while looking around the console a way to deactivate the force field.

"What was that explosion?" she asked, curious as to what he was looking for exactly.

"A diversion. Kid Flash is helping out.. Say… do you know where the off switch thingy is?" he said looking at her in the eyes for the first time since he arrived.

"On Slade's left arm" she said simply. His ears dropped a little. Then a clank was heard and Starfire yelled in excitement "YES!" when her shackles broke apart from her hands.

"I thought Robin said the bubbles cancel your powers" said Meliah, speaking for the first time since they arrived. Raven hadn't seen her but when she did, she noticed her attire. One of Beast boy's Doom Patrol uniforms outline her every curve. This didn't set well with the sorceress and answer her with narrowed eyes and an almost menacing monotone.

" It doesn't cancel them, just repels them. Trust me, otherwise I would be using them right about now"

"Beast Boy, there should be a panel right above the console that makes the bubbles hover over it. Pull all the cables off, it should cancel the link to Slade's remote control and the capacity of the force field, that way, the girls can get out" said Red X.

Garfield complied and sure enough, the panel right below Raven's bubble was at his mercy. He pulled the cables and a humming noise they had not notice before was slowing down to a stop at the same time the force field descended slowly to rest on the console.

With a flick of her wrist, Raven used a small amount of energy to slash the bubble, careful in case the repelling consistency was still active but instead, it cracked a little, so she used a stronger amount of her dark energy to encase the bubble and break it into pieces.

Starfire did the same with hers as soon as Meliah was was done with the wires of her force field and with two massive star bolts, her bubble fractured into rubble and landed next to the girl.

"Meliah, you look different and most peculiar in that attire" Starfire said after inspecting the girl closely.

" My clothes was burned in a fire in Africa, Garfield let me use one of his uniforms to allow me to shape shift at any time without destroying my clothes.

"That was nice of you" said Raven to Garfield a moment later while she was trying to get the thief free but another explosion bent over the metal doors and dozens of Slade-bots flowed in, guns at the ready, surrounding the four heroes.

Slade walked in, hands behind his back assessing his surroundings. "I see the lovers are back, how was your trip to Africa?"

"You have some nerve to come back Slade. Thanks to you many innocent people was seriously injured in that village and many others lost their homes" yelled Garfield with disgust and anger his hands into fists.

"Pity… I meant for the entire village to be destroyed"

This enraged the changeling who leaped and charged towards the villain and turned into a tiger midair, paws ready, but a white star bolt knocked him out and Blackfire descended next to Slade.

Raven was getting ready to attack when one of the robots held Garfield's limp body with one hand and a laser gun pointed at his head with the other one.

"Now, now Raven, you wouldn't want him to get hurt anymore, would you?"

At that moment, the clang of metal, followed by a small explosion, destroyed the head of the robot holding Beast Boy and out of the shadows of the cavernous ceiling, Robin swung his way down and landed in front of Slade with his bo staff ready.

"Its over Slade!"

"I'm impressed Robin. You have managed to find me. But look around you, its far from over. Besides, I have a surprise for you" and with the press of a button, the force field that contained Red X send electric shocks inside, electrocuting the thief and paralyzing him in the process. Then walked over to the bubble and with another button, the bubble burst open letting the limp body fall with a thud on the floor.

Slade picked him up by the collar of his suit. "You see Robin, a long time ago, I used to reside in Gotham, Batman however, was always trying to anticipate my every move, which he almost did until that last meeting at Cadmus Lab. Do you remember? You were his brand new addition. A promising apprentice as well"

"What's your point Slade.?"

"That night, you also left with a battle scar which at some point was bleeding…"

"And?…" Robin was growing impatient, grinding his teeth at the thought of what the villain might be implying.

"I'm surprised you haven't figure it out yet Robin. After our encounter, I managed to procure some of that blood and with the help of a willing employee, the subject MKL013 was created. And after some time, this…" he said while he snatched the mask off of the barely conscious thief… "was the result… so what do you think Robin… or should I say… Richard Greyson?"

A collective gasp was heard from the young heroes. Robin was shocked beyond reason, not only because his nemesis had finally figured out his identity but also because he was seeing himself across the room. Pale and speechless, he stare at his double.

"You know, funny thing about clones is that they not only contain the DNA of their host but also retain some of their recent memories, so, after he woke up and found out what he was and that I was behind it, he escaped the lab and disappeared until a few years ago. I'm surprised you didn't realized this sooner when he stole your Red X suit. After all, his biometrics are what allowed him to get passed the Tower's security system."

Robin tried to get passed his shock but another fear rose within. If he knew his identity, he also knew about… "What has been your plan all along Slade?" the villain laughed at this.

"You know Richard, when I found out who was behind that mask, it all fell into place. I should have seen it coming, the great Batman is no other than that stuck up Bruce Wayne. I laughed at the irony of it. I'm sure you're wondering why it took me so long to take advantage of this little tidbit of information. You see, patience is a virtue, and with patience come great rewards. At some point, you will inherit all of Wayne industries, including the weapons arsenal that supplies him and you with your toys. Not mentioning his entire fortune…"

"And what makes you think I'm going to let you get away with it" Robin yelled.

"Oh but I will. You see Richard, the world only knows one Richard Greyson, and that's how it shall remain. He will make the perfect apprentice and ally when the time comes"

"And what makes you think I'm ok with that" said the unmasked thief the moment he used his elbow with all his strength to knock the air out the villain holding him captive however the armor protected him but Slade was distracted enough to let him fall and the thief took advantage of that and swung his leg towards Slade's to make him loose balance.

Garfield had recovered by then and along with Meliah, turned into rhinos and charged to the nearby robots. Robin yelled "Titans, Go!" once more and the rest engaged in a fight of their own.

Starfire launched at her sister who was trying to escape the encounter. "You will not be doing the escaping today sister. This has gone long enough" she said while throwing her star bolts at the other tamarenean who was avoiding them with ease.

"So you say sister dear, but I have always been the better fighter… we'll see who will be victorious." with that, she counter attacked with her own star bolts and eye beams knocking her sister off the air.

Once on the ground, they engaged in hand to hand combat which Starfire was more familiar with now after many combat sessions that Robin had pressed upon the girls to learn throughout the years in case they're powers failed them for one reason or another.

Starfire swirled around low enough to kick her sister's legs and made her loose her balance then jumped on her and punched her in the face repeatedly with all her might.

Robin and the thief attacked Slade together. Robin couldn't help but wonder how he didn't find the similarities before. Even their fighting style. Slade was agile but started to feel overwhelmed with two of them. So the first chance he got, pressed a button on his left arm and more robots appeared from every entrance that surrounded them.

Raven was slashing robot after robot with her dark energy but was growing exhausted. She had not much time meditating earlier and now she was feeling the consequences.

A white saber tooth jumped over her head smashing a robot before it attacked her from the back and a green bull rammed into the other robots in front of her.

Slade made another round of kicks and punches, avoided with ease some of the attacks from his opponents but was not enough, so he pulled a blade from under his sleeve on his left arm and attempted to stab either one. At that moment, a sonic blast wiped out half of the robots in its path followed by a "BOO YAH" and a loud explosion coming from the roof making the entire frame of the cave rumble and massive amounts of dust and rocks fell destroying some more of the robots but also threatening to bury the heroes.

Slade took advantage of the distraction and threw a flying disc from his belt. when the device touched the ground, it started to spin, shooting lasers around aimlessly while he escaped out of the cave. Meliah noticed his direction and followed him outside.

Garfield was fending off the lasers until Cyborg jumped and smashed the device with one of his feet. Then both looked for Starfire who was still fighting her sister. Star bolts flew left and right. Small craters on the ground were around them after one slipped off on time to avoid a mighty punch from the other one. One final blow to the stomach got Starfire thrown against the wall and the moment her sister was ready to throw a final punch, tentacles grabbed surrounded her arms and legs sending electric shocks and disabling her powers.

She was familiar with the treatment as she had tried for years to escape the sentinels. "Blackfire of Tamaran, you are under arrest for treason to the crown, stealing the solar system in the Lunar sector, escaping prison…"

The intergalactic officer kept reading to her all the charges against her while his partner descended with Starfire in his arms and placing her on the ground on her feet.

"Your majesty, we received word of the whereabouts of your sister. Thanks to the Titans now she will be under more secure and proper custody and will not be able to escape and threaten this planet or yours. We also intercepted a small Gordanian fleet ready to enter Earth's atmosphere and admitted that the reason for coming to this planet was to capture you"

"I do not know how to thank you. And please, make sure Blackfire is taken well care of, after all, she's still my sister" she said with pleading eyes to the officer who bowed at her words "As you wish, your majesty" he said before turning to Cyborg and shook hands with him, boarded his small hover vehicle and disappeared thru the open crater above.

"Star, you're incredible. After the way she's treated you, you still want her to be comfortable… why?" asked a familiar voice coming from behind her. She smiled before she turned to face him.

"Because she's my sister, the only family I have l…" she gasped at the sight in front of her. Robin was standing right in front of her with the one who seemed to be wearing Red X's costume.

Cyborg made a double take, Beast Boy's mouth was wide open and Raven kept her stoic expression. The silence was uncomfortable and so, Robin decided to introduce his doppelganger.

"Team, this is what Slade was planning all along. This is…" he stopped, not sure how to proceed.

"You can say it, I'm your clone" said the double not looking up.

"Clone? So that's how you were able to enter the Tower before ?" asked Cyborg still in shock. The double nodded.

"You're not just a clone. You're your own person. Just because you look like Robin, doesn't mean you're him" said Raven from behind the group.

"So, if he looks just like you Robin, does that mean your eyes are…" Starfire looked from one to the other. Robin sighed and took his mask off in front of his friends.

"Yes Star, they're blue… I guess there is no point on wearing this mask when he's got none… now you all know who we are" Starfire was speechless. She had always wanted to see his eyes, his face without that wretched mask that seemed to be part of his skin and now… she saw the shame and disappointment in them.

"Richard, is it?" Starfire said and extended her hand to him "Hi, I'm Koriand'r from Tamaran. It is a pleasure to meet you" Richard looked at her hand then finally into her eyes and her kind and soft smile and took it in his hands "Nice to meet you Koriand'r" and smiled at her.

"Dude! So is your name also Richard?" asked Beast Boy finally able to get over his shock.

"No, my name is Michael… but this cannot get out of this cave. I've been trying for years to stay hidden, it was when I found out about Richard's suit that I venture out and have an identity of my own."

"Wait, so you've known about all this all along? Even about Batman?" asked Robin suddenly when that part of the information dawn on him.

"Yes, and Alfred has been tracking me down all this years… I even think he's the one who let me know about the Red X suit stored in the Tower's vault.

Starfire came in front of Michael, hugged him and pecked him on the cheek "Thank you for being my friend Michael"

"My pleasure gorgeous" he said he let her go and slightly looked over at Robin who was looking somewhere else the entire time.

A rumbling noise was heard coming from outside, Robin and Michael put on their masks the moment Kid Flash entered the cave at full speed.

"Guys, quickly. Meliah is hurt!"

They all run outside looking for the girl. Kid Flash led them where she was laying on the floor, holding her side, a small pool of blood around her.

Garfield run to her side, shocked at the amount of blood, she was barely awake and said "Now… he wont… bother you… anymore" she said in between breaths. It was getting harder and harder for her to breath.

"No M… stay awake!, talk to me… you'll be ok… " he said in between sobs. Then felt her body go limp on his arms. He gasp in horror and turned to the sorceress and with pleading, teary eyes, he said "Raven please! Save her… I cant loose her…"

Raven felt her heart break while she took a deep breath. Without a word she extended her hands over the unconscious girl and started to glow. But after only a few seconds, the black aura faded leaving Raven panting from the exertion.

"I'm sorry Beast Boy, I don't have enough energy left in me. The wound is not too deep but she's lost a lot of blood. Cyborg can help with the rest" she said with some remorse. Then she saw his eyes and against her better judgment at the moment, she added "I can keep trying, but I'm exhausted as it. I doubt any healing will be done with me like this… I'm sorry Beast boy"


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29. Nevermore **

Slade was found a few feet away, sprawled on the dusty ground, unmoving, with teeth marks on his armor. Batman arrived the moment the Titans attempted to remove the villain but after closer inspection, they realized he was wide awake, with a laborious breathing and couldn't speak or move.

When they asked Kid Flash about what happened, he said that out of the rubble, a giant snake coiled around the villain and tried to crush him but something made the snake loosen its hold on him that instead, made a lightning fast move with its head and bit him on the shoulder, crushing his armor before it slowly slider away, letting the body fall while the snake regained her human form only to collapse on the ground, blood quickly staining the dusty terrain.

Raven had tried time and time again to heal Meliah's wounds ever so slowly, as exhausted as she was until Cyborg tried to stop her but against better judgment, she continued until she too fell unconscious on the ground.

Cyborg had assessed their condition and while Meliah was out of danger, still needed medical treatment and Raven just needed to rest . Batman, along with Robin and Starfire, were to take care of Slade and his imprisonment. They also took Red X with them as they had plenty to discuss.

Now Garfield was torn between the two girls. Holding their hands on the way back to the Tower's med bay. Cyborg had admonished him to no end and Starfire had called him selfish before she took off behind the Bat Wing, making him realize the dilemma he had put Raven thru with his words and actions.

Garfield felt bad of course and even though some of that guilt went away the moment she started her healing trance, there was no telling if she would ever forgive him. Meliah on the other hand was still unconscious, healing slowly as time itself allowed. Raven had managed to heal part of the major wounds bringing her vitals down to a stable condition so now all he had to, was wait.

…

…

In Nevemore chaos reigned. And Happy's domain was the first one to crumble. It was no longer bright and sunny but dull and cold. The winds were severe as those of an approaching hurricane, bending trees mercilessly. Colors were almost faded as a shadow advanced slowly, engulfing everything around it.

Happy was laying on her stomach on the floor, pulling the hood over her head, trying to protect herself from the gusts of winds and debris. that's when she heard far away voices calling her name. she tried to look around but had to squint his eyes at the cold wind making her eyes wet and there, in the direction of the entrance to her domain were blurred colors. Yellow, green, purple, blue and even red.

She felt hope at the sight of her sisters for she was closer as well, but a shadow tentacle grabbed onto her foot, keeping her down. Brave charged towards the shadow with a sword of dark energy at hand and attacked the shadow's limp. Brave was agile and fast but the shadow was everywhere and attempted to get a hold of her as well.

"Don't let them get you Brave!" Wisdom, the one in blue, warned.

With one more swing of her sword, Brave managed to free Happy but her sister was weak and stumbled many times before she could no longer get up. The other emotions by the arch over the entrance, made an attempt to go to their rescue, but Wisdom stopped them.

"We must do something Blue, we cant just stand back and watch" said Love, the one in purple.

"I know Love, but Happy is too far gone and Brave needs to return on her own. We cannot allow them to get the rest of us.

"I'll get them back" said Rage who was walking passed them as she spoke but Wisdom grabbed her arm to stop her and ignore the death glare Rage gave her by only touching her.

"You're just as vulnerable as Happy is. If they get to you… or you…" Wisdom said nodding towards Knowledge in yellow. " then they'll get to the rest of us without lifting a finger"

She let go of her sister who was now shocked at the realization of Wisdom's words. She frown and turned back closing her arms over her chest and without anyone looking, her frown turned into a worried expression.

Brave was struggling thru the wind and now rocky terrain, trying to get Happy off the ground, but the more she moved, the more difficult it became.

"Leave me Brave, save yourself and the others, I'm no good anymore"

"Nonsense! Get up, we can make it. Four eyes and Blue will know what to do"

But Happy collapsed once more and was not able to get up again. When Brave came closer she noticed how hurt she really was. Dehydrated and gaunt, dark circles under her eyes, ashen skin and painfully cracked lips. There was no sparkle in her eyes anymore and her breathing was weak regardless of the abundance of air. Brave kneeled next to her and pulled her sister against her chest and turned to the others and sadly shook her head.

At that moment, the gusting winds stopped suddenly and part of the shadows spiral in front of them forming a portal where two more cloaked girls appeared from. The first one was in a dark grey cloak while the other one had a pitch black one.

"why continue to fight sister?… you know its pointless" said Sadness in grey

"You know I will always fight back, no matter what… why are you doing this?"

"And why not.. Raven thinks like we do… we have her full support" said Depression with a smirk.

"Raven is biased thanks to you two and you know she has misunderstood everything but took advantage anyway"

"Think what you like sister, the point is that you and the rest will join us soon" said Depression and with a wave of her hand in a circular motion, commanded the shadows to lift and expand further towards the others. Brave got up, sword ready, but a weak Happy said "Not… if I can help it…"

And with what little energy and power she had, enveloped Brave in a bubble of dark energy and pushed her towards the others by the door and with a last grunt of exertion, pushed them all out of her domain. Once they went thru it, the opening closed into stone and crumbled.

Happy collapsed and the two girls in front of her frowned and said "Fool!, you're just delaying the inevitable. They'll fall … just like you". the girl in front of them then vanished, leaving behind her pink cloak that the wind took away.

…

"HAPPY!" yelled Brave and Love who fell to her knees and started to cry.

"Stop that immediately Love, the faster you give in, the faster they will get to you. C'mon, lets go the library, there's got to be something we can do to protect us" said Knowledge, Wisdom nodded once while she and Brave helped Love to her feet and dried her tears.

"We need to find Raven as well. Those two have her secure somewhere here but while unconscious, she's too vulnerable to defend herself" said Wisdom.

"I told you it was a bad idea to venture out" came a small voice behind them. Timid, in light grey, was hiding behind her hood, almost too afraid to look at her sisters in he eyes.

"Timid!, thank Azar they didn't get to you. Come, we're going to the library" said Brave.

"I rather not. I don't dare to go beyond this point but I ca hide you guys with me and…"

"And then what? Wait until they found us with no way out? And who do you think is going to help us?… no one! While Raven is unconscious we are at their mercy. We must find a way out before they get to the rest of us" said Rage, eyes glowing red causing Timid to shrink into herself.

"So…sorry Red, it was… just a … suggestion"

"Enough! This is not the time to bicker"

"Brave is right, we must go to a safer point where we can find a solution"

"I have an idea. Is risky, but is all we have in this circumstances." said Knowledge before they noticed the shadow approaching their way.

Brave pulled Timid away from its clutches and Rage covered everyone into her dark energy and disappeared right before a giant claw slashed the empty air and dragged into the ground, like a rake pulling leafs, before disappearing into itself and continued advancing.

…

The library was a full size copy of the Parthenon, with tall columns surrounding it and engravings in antique languages adorned the outside of the arch with the inside structure closed in. Perched on the outside of the roof, were the black birds with four red glowing eyes, flapping their wings and desperately saying "Turn back"

Inside was more impressive. Walls and walls full of books, all sizes, all colors, all genres in alphabetical order. They all represent the many books Raven has read in her lifetime and although most of them were complete, some were just a few pages containing the only passages Raven had been interested in reading at the time.

The six emoticlones were scattered around the main room. Timid was sitting on the sofa in the middle while Wisdom levitated in a lotus position next to her, trying to meditate. Brave was leaning against the front desk, lokking around with arms over her chest, bored.

Knowledge was on the magic and spells section while Love was in front of the romance section. The wall was full, from floor to ceiling of romance books, novels, poems, stories from far away places and even tales of happily ever after. Not many but enough to catch Love's attention and curiosity.

Bt when she tried to approach Knowledge, the yellow clad girl dismissed her with a wave of her hand. Love frowned and turned around but found Wisdom in front of her.

"Do not take it personal… she just hasn't met you yet"

"Then would you mind telling me what all… this means" Love said pointing with her hand from floor to ceiling. Wisdom followed the direction of her hand with her eyes then settled back on her sister.

"It just represents what Raven knows about love but in a more… educational way. She knows about it in general. That love exists somewhere"

"But I've been here all along. Since she joined the Titans. Since she met … him" she said with a faint smile.

"Yes, but like with every other emotion, Raven has kept you hidden, away from her…" Wisdom said, nodding towards Knowledge. "Because the moment she acknowledges any of you, will be the moment Raven recognize and accepts that feeling… in your case, it would be accepting the fact that she's in love with him."

Across the room was Rage, in front of the wal that was almost half of the entire building. Containing books and parchments all ages and sizes, from all over the world about demons. Raven's demonic heritage was a big part of who she was.

"Wow Red, it looks like Rae-Rae knows about you more than about anyone else here." said Brave looking at the wall in awe next to a seemingly surprised Rage.

'They're not exactly about me… they're about how to control me". Rage said quietly.

"I got it!" announced Knowledge. The rest gathered around her and waited patiently for her explanation.

"well… what's the solution?" asked Rage impatiently.

"Is not the solution I'm afraid, but rather a step towards it." she said while turning the book around to show the others who gasped at the spell Knowledge was pointing at.

"The transgression spell?… are you out of your mind?" admonished Rage.

"well, technically I cannot be out of…"

"Never mind that four eyes, just tell us your plan" interrupted Brave.

"this book contains the right spell to take care of Sadness and Depression once and for all…"

"But?…"

"But… Raven never read that one in particular, thinking that it would be obsolete with her repressing every one of her emotions so, she only read the title." she said while shuffling a few pages ahead to show the title with no explanation beneath it.

"I see, so you intent to retrieve the original by going outside of the realm?" asked Brave more curious about the mechanics of the plan.

"Yes, but we must act quickly, Raven is after all half human, and a human cannot remain without any emotion for long, otherwise would fall into a state of coma and that would be more difficult to resolve"

"I guess not much difference since she's already unconscious."

"With the difference that we're still awake, if Raven falls into a coma then we will be dormant as well"

"Wait, once outside, will you be able to … perform the spell and get back?" asked Timid from behind Brave.

"I should be able to, although I would not use Raven's powers as much, I will be weak enough as it is. This spell is draining" said the one in yellow, frowning at the pages.

"I wonder…" said Wisdom after a moment.

"Yes? Have you any other ideas?"

"Just a thought. What if you confront Garfield. If he was to tell you about his feelings for Raven, wouldn't that make the spell easier to perform. After all, you will be acknowledging the fact that all of this chaos is unnecessary because he does loves her."

"Oh no… Love is not an intellectual endeavor but about feelings. I would feel much more comfortable if I was to stick to the original plan" Said Knowledge, eyes wide , fidgeting with her glasses.

"Ok, Ok, like I said, it was just a thought"

They all gathered around knowledge who placed the book open on the floor and recited the spell once. The second time all of them were chanting the words and a dark vortex opened next to the girl in yellow. Tendrils of the mass disentangled from the vortex to envelope the girl.

One by one, the shreds covered her every limp and body until she looked like a mummy with grey and black bandages. She started to spin in her spot while the other chanted the spell louder anf with a gust of wind… disappeared.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30. Sleeping beauty.**

It had been over two days since they came back. The waiting was supposed to be simple. Although both girls unconscious, one was with sedatives and medication while the other was to complete a healing trance while floating above her bed, that could vary from two to twenty four hours. But something went wrong and Raven's body dropped to the bed like a rock.

Cyborg had attached a variety of small cables on her body to monitor her trance, but suddenly the machines started going out of control. The beeping noises the machines made, woke Garfield up in panic and Cyborg came in running a few seconds later.

Her heart rate was low. Her blood pressure was plummeting and she seemed paler and colder than usual. It took a couple of hours but after replenishing her fluids and other vital necessities, she was stabilized but her healing trance never restarted.

Garfield had done everything he could to help Cyborg around, but he was so worried and distracted that he ended up just staying out of the way.

Now, it was almost twenty four hours later and still no change so Garfield had nothing else but wait. He fell sleep on the floor, turned into a St Bernard in the middle of the room, one girl on each side. Cyborg had gone to sleep a few minutes ago and dimmed the lights and almost darkness reigned in the room.

…

In Nevermore, the other emotions watched as their sister disappeared and looked around in each other's eyes silently.

"Now what?" asked Brave, just wanting to break the awkward silence.

"Now we wait" Wisdom said closing her eyes trying to resume her earlier meditation.

"Blue? You know that he's waiting out there for Raven to wake up, right?" asked Love, sitting on the sofa.

Slowly, Wisdom opened her eyes and a barely there smile appeared and nodded.

"Yes, because that creature is there as well" said Rage with a sneer.

"Now, now Red, you know he cares about her as a friend, he said as much… in fact, he told **you** that. Why don't you trust him?" said Love turning to her with a knowing grin.

"Is not him I don't trust… is her! And wipe that grin off your face, rage will consume him, I'll make sure of that" said Rage with glowing red eyes, glaring at the now smiling Love.

"Ok Red…whatever you say"

"What if she doesn't know how to handle it…" interrupted Brave trying to bring their attention back to the problem at hand.

"What if… she pushes him…away" Timid said, wide eyed in surprise at her own words.

"Ladies… Knowledge will know how to handle it, she just needs to talk to him or rather let him do all the talking… and no, she wont push him away Timid, not only does she know what's at stake, but also she knows how we all…" Wisdom said looking at every one of her sisters and stopping on Rage "feel about him". they all smiled.

But after a few moments of silence, they heard the birds outside. Flapping their wings scattering desperately. The emotions run to the windows and the entrance of the library and saw the motive of their fear. The shadow was approaching, touching every corner and anything "alive" would desiccate and die.

The shadow lashed at them, making them back up and gather in the middle of the room in a circle, all watching each other's back, hands glowing in their dark energy.

"I hope four eyes hurries" said Brave while two dark, razor sharp swords appeared on her hands while she took a fighting stance.

"Me too" said Wisdom the moment beams of dark energy flew everywhere from all directions, trying to destroy the threatening shadow.

…

…

The medical bay was silent except for the constant beeping of the heart monitors. It was dark except for the dim light from the screens of the monitors and well past midnight when Ravens body was softly enveloped in a dark cocoon when a ghostly image of herself levitated off the bed into a standing position on the floor, regaining solidity and taking a deep breath.

She looked down at her mistress on the bed and softly placed a hand over Raven's. that's when she noticed her cloak, then lifted a hand to her face and found her round rim glasses perched on her nose.

She quickly looked around to make sure no one else was there. Across the room was Meliah, also unconscious. Then saw a chair behind her and Raven's cloak was draped over it. Knowledge quickly walked as silently as possible and took her cloak off and placed it in a bundle under Raven's pillows and put on the dark blue one over her shoulders, pulling the hood over her head and headed to the door not noticing the big St Bernard asleep on the other side of Raven's bed.

Garfield sensed her movement and opened his eyes and saw her feet walk away cautiously towards the door. His ears raised before his head and he quickly got up and turned back human. Silently, he caught up with her and called out her name in a whisper which made her stop on her tracks right in front of the door.

He walked closer behind her while she seemed to wipe her face then hide her hands under her cloak. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around to face him.

He look intently into her eyes and slowly open her cloak and took her hands in his while she reluctantly allowed him. Knowledge's heart was racing. She wasn't prepared for a confrontation so she said nothing and waited.

"Raven… I'm so glad you're better. That you're awake. What happened? You stopped healing and…" she interrupted him with a soft squeeze on his hand. "It's ok"

"I'm sorry for what I put you thru. I'm dumb enough to not think before I say something and didn't realized at the moment I was hurting you."

"Beast Boy, I can assure you an apology is unnecessary. You're behavior was understandable"

"I know you're mad Rae. Cy told me you've been upset while I was gone. I didn't mean to be away that long… please forgive me!" he said and kissed her hands.

"Beast Boy… she… I am not mad at you but I'm afraid right now is not the best time to discuss this for I have pressing issues that require my immediate attention" she replied with an urgent but apologetic whisper while Garfield felt her hands slip away from his.

A sudden thought crossed his mind and acted on it before even considering the consequences. The moment she turned away he pulled her back and with a swift move, coped her face with both hands and pulled her closer until their lips met. Softly, very gently his lips caressed hers hoping for a response.

Knowledge was utterly surprised at the unprecedented act and found herself considering how to respond. The sensation was agreeable, even enjoyable and when she closed her eyes and he felt her attempt to respond, one of his hands lowered to her waist and pulled her a little closer making her shiver.

…

Back in Nevermore, the shadow was closing in on them. They fought with all the energy they had left but were growing tired. Many of the birds that had made the attempt to escape, now lay dead or almost petrified around the outside of the building. Even Rage's rage didn't seem to be enough to guard them off the sinister shadow.

And suddenly, a collective gasp made them stop. A warm sensation spread inside each one making them loose concentration for a split second. Most of them looked at each other in panic, except for Love who was smiling from ear to ear almost with an idiotic expression. Rage had a smirk on her face. Timid was also smiling shyly while blushing.

"No way" said Brave with a smile while she looked down at her open hand, spread her fingers and could feel the renewed energy running thru her." four eyes has done it!"

"Not quite!, she bought us some more time but she might need help…" said Wisdom while lifting a shield over them to protect them from the now erratic attacks from the shadow.

"And who do you suggest to go next?" asked Rage sarcastically while reinforcing Wisdom's shield with her own.

"All of you… you need to get out… I'll hold them off"

"What?! You cant hold them off on your own, there are growing stronger" said Brave pulling a pillar from the side wall with her dark energy and throw it at the shadow which went thru thin air and crumbled on contact.

" They're not getting stronger but confused. Even if they get to me, they cannot affect me the same as it would on any of you. I'm not exactly an emotion but a state of mind… go now that there is time"

Wisdom commanded in such way that left no room for more discussion. One by one started to chant the same spell that took Knowledge away and one by one disappeared in a dark, spinning vortex.

..

..

It had been only a few moments before Knowledge came out of her shock and slowly moved her hands over his chest and softly tried to push him away, but Garfield didn't let go. Instead, run his lips along her jaw line and stopped on her neck. She could feel his warm breath on her skin. Another kiss on her neck before whispering "I love you".

This caused for someone in Nevermore to open her eyes in the dark and a giggle echoed nearby.

And while his head was resting on her shoulder, she could see over to Raven's bed. And there in the dim light, four ghostly figures regained their solidity against the dim light who then stopped dead at the sight. One of them with four glowing, very wide eyes in surprise.

Rage had venture to levitate closer to Meliah who was now sensing the demonic presence tenth fold and moaned in discomfort. Eyes still closed due to the heavy sedatives while the beeping of the monitors accelerated.

This caused for Garfield to make the attempt to look on Meliah's way but Knowledge quickly placed both hands on his face and with nothing else more effective she blurted out in a whisper "I love you too…"

This stopped him long enough while the others opened a portal and went thru it and disappeared , _hopefully to Raven's room _, she thought.

"What did you say Rae?" he said while a smile spread from ear to ear over his features.

Knowledge smiled shyly and said "I said I love you too Beast Boy"

"Garfield… call me Garfield"

"I thought Meliah was the only one allowed to call you by your real name" she said, somewhat curious. He kept on smiling.

"She only calls me that because she knew me before I ever became Beast Boy but coming from you… is special…"

Meliah again made the attempt to wake up and made a grunting noise when she moved the wrong way and she felt the shooting pain. Knowledge was still holding on to his face when he took her hands in his, kissed each one and said softly, almost apologetic "I have to make sure she's ok"

The Raven in front of him nodded with a soft smile and he turned to his left headed for Meliah's bed. The moment he reached her, the lights came on and an agitated Cyborg was at the door looking around the room. Garfield was rubbing his eyes in discomfort at the sudden brightness but when he focused again, Raven was gone.

"Hey grass stain what happened. Meliah's readings went haywire there for a second … everything alright?"

"Nothing really… I was talking to Raven and dude! She told me she loved me" Garfield said excited. Cyborg just arched his eyebrow and looked at him like he was crazy.

"That must have been one hell of a dream green bean" Cyborg said while going over the readings on the screen built in his arm.

"No dude, I'm telling you… we were talking by the door, she even kissed me back and…"

"Yo, calm down, I get it man, I get you're in love with her but explain to me how in the world did she kiss you back if she's still the same way I left her six hours ago" he said while nodding towards her bed and that's when Garfield saw her, he run next to her and held her hand. Still unconscious, still colder than usual. Without any change in the readings of her heart monitor.

"I don't understand… not even five minutes ago I was holding her, kissing her… she kissed me back, she told me she loves me…" Garfield said, dropping to his knees next to her bed. Cyborg walked next to was sad and started to worry about his green friend. He placed a hand on his shoulder and said "Dude, you're tired, you haven't left the med bay for the last three days, you barely ate and slept. Is logical for your mind to play tricks on you when…"

"But it wasn't a dream… it was real… it was real" he said softly in the end.

"Look man, all I'm saying is that you too need to rest. Both of them are fine but I'm injecting Meliah with more sedatives. Whatever made her try to wake up, also made her burn the painkillers and now she passed out from the pain. She'll be fine but she's got long ways to go, alright?… Rae is also ok, no change. Go to sleep man. I'll stay with them for the rest of the night, I'll let you know if there is any change on any of them"

Garfield was trying to get his thoughts straight. That wonderful feeling that still lingered in his chest wasn't part of a dream, it felt too real, but Cyborg's advice made him reconsider and just nodded and headed out. He was so distracted trying not to cry that he didn't notice the glasses on the floor before stepping on them.

He stopped and picked them up to examine them closer, they were dark with big round rims. All thought and memories came at once, leaving him dizzy and breathless. He had seen those glasses before once upon a time in Nevermore.

He smiled with tears in his eyes and turned back towards Raven and bent down to kiss her softly on the lips and whispered in her ear "I knew it wasn't a dream" then got up and left the med bay running, leaving a perplexed Cyborg behind.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31. Kisses**

A dark portal opened and closed to reveal a cloaked figure a few feet away from the closed door. She exhaled in relief when she took notice of her surroundings when a sudden spark lit up a few scattered candles in the room and brought a soft, dim light.

She turned around and acknowledged her company before heading to the bookcase built in the wall, trying to ignore the smirks and smiles that met her.

"I was wrong, four eyes was more than capable of handling the situation" taunted Brave, leaning against the wall by the window suddenly very interested in what seemed to be a magazine of sorts when Knowledge glanced at her.

"So much for Blue's concern of you needing help, you had everything planned, didn't you? Down to the disguise detail." taunted Rage, arms crossed over her chest.

"A mere necessity in light of the situation as I didn't want anyone, specially him, to recognize me. Garfield has seen us before in Nevermore but I cannot imagine his reaction if he sees us in the real world"

Loved looked up and beamed at hearing his name "We are allowed to call him by his real name?"

"Yes. He wishes us to do so and even claimed that coming from us would be… special. I cannot fathom why would he consider it special if he's been called by his real name before. A lot recently, in fact." Knowledge shook her head a bit then resumed her search.

Love smiled at her in endearment at how clueless her sister emotion was. Rage only shook her head in annoyance.

"Look, whatever you did earlier, you might want to consider doing it again. It regenerated our powers and gave us enough strength to perform the spell. Blue said you might need help so that's why we're here…" said Brave putting down what she was reading and walked towards Knowledge who had turned to them upon realization of her words.

"You know, you might find what you're looking for if you put your glasses back on" Brave said in a matter of fact tone while she looked up at the bookcase, also in search for the book.

Knowledge touched her face then around the belt on her waist. "hmmm, I must have dropped them"

"What if someone finds them?" asked Timid speaking for the first time.

"Maybe no one will notice them… maybe…" Brave was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"There goes your pool of probabilities" said Knowledge then turn to the rest "quickly, hide. We do not have time for this"

Another knock filled the room "Raven?… can I come in?" Garfield called from the other side but got no answer. He took another look at the oversized glasses in his hands and took a deep breath.

"I know you're not Raven. You came from Nevermore and I need to know what's going on. I need to know if Raven is ok"

"You have to let him in, he has a right to find out" said Love with concern and hope in her voice.

"He knows is you, he might as well find out about everyone else. Besides, he helped before, we are going to need his help again" said Rage, frowning at her own words.

"Very well .We just need to make sure not to startled him. Seeing us all together might be a shock to him… specially you Red." the smirk on Rage's expression was not reassuring but Knowledge was glad she did complied.

When the door opened, Garfield peaked in, cautiously, not sure what he would find and almost jumped out of his skin when a familiar voice invited him in.

The room was dark with a single candle in the far corner. It took him a few seconds for his sight to get used to the dim light when another candle sparked to life. The room a bit more visible, still creepy and eerie, but there, to his left was the Raven he saw a few minutes ago.

"Forgive my earlier deceit Garfield, I was not expecting an encounter so soon." said Knowledge in an almost unemotional tone like her mistress.

"Um… its ok … wait, if you're one of Raven's emotions, which one are you? And why are you here… outside her head" he said moving his arms around to express his distress. that's when she noticed her glasses on his hand and with a wave of her hand, the glasses were encased in her dark energy, pulled from his grip and landed on her hand. When she put them back on, she answered.

"I represent Raven's knowledge. Everything she has read and learned about in her lifetime. Everything she knows"

"But we call her four eyes for obvious reasons" came another familiar voice. He looked around in surprise when he noticed the curtains moving. But after squinting his eyes he noticed all three cloaked figures in different shades approaching. But the one that made him tense up the most, was the one who's glowing red eyes could be seen under the hood.

"Please Garfield, do not be alarmed, there is valid explanation for our presence" Knowledge said and with a wave of her hand, several more candles came to life, brightening the room, revealing the colors of their cloaks.

The one in dark green, whom he remembered as Brave, approached him first with a "What's up Garfield?!" and a punch on his shoulder.

"Hello Garfield, remember me?" said the one in purple, smiling sweetly at him. He felt more at ease and smiled back. And for a split moment forgot why he was in Raven's room.

"Is my understanding correct? You two have met before." said Knowledge looking from one to the other in curiosity.

"Briefly" answered Love without looking away from him.

"Which emotion are you?" Garfield asked after a moment.

"She's Love and I'm sure you remember Rage…" she said with a nod on her direction "I'm sorry to cut the introductions short, but may I remind all of you, we have a pressing matter to take care of"

"Pressing matter? You mean Raven is in danger?" Garfield asked, his attention back to reality.

"In a way, yes. Her unconscious state provided leverage to her insecurities, making them the dominant emotions at the moment and now they're threatening to overrule her control over the rest of us"

"Insecurities? You mean like, she's sad or something"

"Raven is depressed" Said Love with a worried expression.

"Thanks to that creature and ymm…" Rage was interrupted when a stripe of dark energy prevented her from keep talking that Brave cast her way. Rage only glared and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sadness and Depression are destroying everything. They destroyed Happy's domain…" continued Brave once she was satisfied rage was not able to speak.

"And we're not sure what happened to Happy" Love said.

"So… Raven is depressed because of me?" His ears drooping, feeling guiltier by the moment.

"We are not here to point fingers Garfield, we are here to find a solution"

"Then let me help… I'll do anything for Raven… but how?"

"our earlier encounter provided a way. That's the reason they are here… the extra jolt of energy gave them the strength to perform the spell. But we must hurry. Right now we are as real as the real Raven, but we cannot remain much longer for it would damage her psyche irreparably"

" So how are we getting the extra jolt of energy?" Garfield asked, scratching his head not exactly sure what he did before.

"You must do the same thing you did earlier… you must kiss every single one of them"

Garfield made a double take after Knowledge spoke. On seeing his uneasiness, Love spoke in a whisper "You have no idea the power your touch holds"

"That's it?… a kiss?" he asked incredulous.

"Not just any kiss… it must be with the same sentiment as before" corrected Knowledge.

"Pucker up Beasty Boo, I'm first…" Said Brave smacking her lips.

"Wait, is not that simple, we need to have the portal ready… Love, get the mirror from the drawer, Red , here is the book, find the title to the spell I showed you guys earlier and get what we need… Timid and I…" She stopped to look around and the others did the same "Where is Timid?"

…

…

Back at the med bay, Cyborg was still going over the readings of the monitors, trying to find the cause for Meliah's sudden near awakening when out of the corner of his eye, saw something move just behind the console.

"Alright B, I thought I told you to…" He walked around the console but found nothing. He shrugged to himself and walked back to his seat when he thought he saw traces of dark energy disappear. He got up and turned his right arm into a sonic cannon and slowly walked around the room looking for anything out of the ordinary when someone knocked the clipboard off the console where he had been sitting earlier.

"Who's there!" he called out but no one answer, so very slowly, he walked back to the console, cannon ready and when he saw no one there, without looking down, he picked up the clipboard and straighten up, when he did, saw a gray figure, looming behind the monitors that were attached to Raven's body "You there!. You have exactly five seconds before I…"

"It…Its me Cyborg…" he was sure he heard Raven's voice but _how can it be, _he thought while he looked from the figure to the bed where Raven was still unconscious. He shook his head and got his cannon ready "Ok, time's up!" he said over the humming noise it made, making him seem all the more threatening.

"Wait Cyborg… its me…" the voice said and cautiously got out of her hiding place and removed the hood of her cloak and showed a perfect replica of Raven except her cloak was light grey and her expression was almost of fear.

"Raven?…" he said, glancing once more to the bed, then back to the Raven in front of him. "Wait, you're not Raven… Timid? … the one from Nevermore?… the one from Raven's mind?" Timid nodded after every question. Cyborg finally put away his cannon, then scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"if you're from Raven's mind… what are you doing here?… wait… is it you the grass stain was babbling about earlier?" he asked while he raised his eyebrow. She shook her head while blushing profusely "No… that was… that was Knowledge… Garfield caught her by surprise"

"Garfield huh?" he said with a sly smile.

"Yes, he…um… he said we could… call him that" she said not being able to hide her blush before putting the hood of her cloak back over her head.

"Ok but, that doesn't explain what are you doing here"

"I want to help… with her." she said nodding towards Meliah.

"Really? Why?… I thought you didn't like her"

"Only because… she's been… taking him away…we don't like that"

"I see… well, we can use all the help we can get. She's still in semi critical condition.

Timid walked carefully to Meliah's bed and extended her hands where the wound was when out of nowhere "What do you think you're doing!" came the angry voice of Rage. Cyborg was taken aback at the sight of four glowing red eyes and the not so friendly smile she sent his way.

"I… I'm trying to help her, just like Garfield asked" Timid said while Cyborg got his cannon ready, aiming at the girl in red.

"Put that away you fool!, Trigon doesn't control me anymore…" her eyes glowed brighter and Meliah's heart monitor started to beep faster. Cyborg put away his cannon and run to the console.

"Man, ,we gotta do something, at this rate, she'll burn the sedatives and pain killers… Rae if you're gonna do something, do it now or we'll loose her"

Timid's hands were encased en healing energy and hovered over the wound. "You're a fool… this creature is the cause of the mess we're in and you still want to save her"

"She's not the cause of our mental dysfunction but our insecurities. She only did what was in her nature and in doing so, she also helped rescue us from Slade…" Said Knowledge out of a portal followed by the other emotions and Garfield. "Now, do hurry, we don't have much time".

Cyborg made a double take on the new comers but said nothing until he got close enough to Garfield "Yo man, what's going on"

"I'll tell you later tin man, they're running out of time" said Garfield approaching Meliah's bed and smiled at Timid who was blushing and trying not to look at him in the eyes. "Hi Garfield" was all she said.

Brave came next to her and extended her hands over Meliah's body in the same way. The wounds were closing in and scars on her torso, disappearing. "Go ahead four eyes, get everything ready, I'll help over here in the main time… Hey Cy, what's up!" Cyborg was at a loss of words and just answered with a peace sign.

Meliah woke up with a start and the surprise she got when not only one, but two Ravens hovered over her. She sat down, not being able to take her eyes off them.

"Its ok M, these are Raven's emotions… the one in green is Brave and the other one is Timid. They finish healing your wounds" said Garfield while they waved at her.

"Her emotions? Where is Raven?" Meliah said, finally looking at him. He nodded towards the other side of the room. When Meliah turned, saw the oddest thing. Not only an unconscious Raven laying on the bed, but another standing next to her, removing her blue cloak and retrieving another one in bright yellow from under the pillows and had huge round rim glasses perched on her nose who nodded at her once.

"Garfield, its time" the one in yellow said.

"Time for what?" asked Meliah.

"You'll see" Garfield said when a sudden breeze and a red and yellow blur made a screeching stop next to him. "Whoa! What happened?" Kid Flash said looking around at the many Ravens gathered in the room. Then stopped to look at Meliah and smiled while she smiled back.

All the visiting emotions gathered around Raven's bed. Knowledge placed the mirror facing up on Raven's chest. Grabbed Garfield's hand and asked the other ones to grab each other's hand and Raven's. after chanting the spell , the mirror started to glow in dark energy, encasing Raven's body as well.

Brave was to go first being the one that had the skill to fight against the shadows. He whispered in her ear the things he loved about her character and gave her a kiss. She smiled and soon disappeared in the dark cocoon.

Timid was next. And while hiding inside the hood of her cloak, he could tell she was blushing. "You don't have to be shy with me" he whispered, she smiled and even dared to kiss him first then disappeared in the dark energy.

Love came next. With an adoring smile and a twinkle In her eyes. Garfield grabbed her hands, kissed each one and whispered in her ear how much he loved that smile. She smiled even more and gave him a soft kiss on the lips then disappeared as well.

Knowledge came forward and before he said anything she stopped him while placing a hand on his chest. "I already had my turn but I wanted to thank you for your understanding in this dilemma"

"What's going to happen after all of you go back? Will raven come back?"

"After we take care of what we must in Nevermore, Raven will resume her healing trance and wake up in a few hours"

"will she… remember all this?"

"eventually… perhaps while she speaks with you, in the main time, Red has a few questions of her own… goodbye Garfield" and with that, disappeared just as the others had.

Rage approached him in a way that made him swallow hard, but her demeanor seemed calmer, at least her glowing eyes had toned down considerably and the extra set was gone. She quickly scanned their surroundings and saw he expectations who had remained silent all the while. She pushed them a bit farther against the wall.

"Do you still mean what you said before about me? The dark and angry side of Raven?" she whispered trying to have some privacy.

"Every word" he said without hesitation and for the first time her smile changed from the murderous, evil one to a more sincere and without anymore to say, she pulled him to her for a somewhat chaste kiss, because even the evil Rage could not let an opportunity like that pass, and then disappeared into the cocoon of dark energy that dissipated seconds later.

He watched Raven for a change. A sign that all that he had just done, had been worth it but for the first few minutes… nothing. As time went by and the clock marked the levels of his anxiety, he paced along the room next to her bed until a flicker of hope made its appearance.


	32. Chapter 32

**Sorry for the delay guys but i was deciding whether to make this one the last chapter or not, but i've decided to have one more and maybe an epilogue . Still debating on that one. But, i just wanted to say thank you for reading, reviewing and most of all, sticking with this story this far. **

**An special thanks to TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne for opinions and advice along the way.**

**I also wrote a one shot for my birthday a few days ago, is called "Birthday Wish". If you haven't yet, check it out. I try my hand at funny stuff every now and then but you can be the judges of that. let me know. **

**In the main time, enjoy chapter 32. (surprise at the end)**

**Chapter 32. New memories**

"What just happened?" asked Cyborg after watching his green friend pace around the room. Meliah got up and slowly made her way to Garfield who was now just watching Raven still unmoving.

"Gar… are you ok?" she asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll let you know when she starts healing"

"And how will you… (gasp) Gar look…" Meliah said once Raven's body started to levitate above the bed and a soft dark aura surrounded her. Garfield relaxed a little more and exhaled in relief.

"Now, we just wait… again" he whispered with half a smile and for a moment he looked more tired than before.

"Gar, you need to rest. Cyborg said you haven't eaten or slept much, why don't you…"

"No, I want to be here when she wakes up"

"I was going to suggest why don't you take my bed. Thanks to Raven I'm completely healed, I don't need it anymore" it took a few more minutes of convincing, even Kid Flash had something to say now that he had come out of his shock but finally, Garfield complied on one condition.

"Do not tell her what happened when she wakes up. She would feel embarrassed if she knew what I had to do with her emotions so she could get better… let her remember on her own"

They all agreed and left Garfield laying down on the bed that Cyborg had moved closer to Raven's so he would feel more comfortable.

While in Nevermore the last remnants of the shadow's destruction was being replaced with the usual landmarks. Happy was skipping or running around making plain noises as the others gathered around Raven who had finally broken out of Sadness and Depression's spell while the two dissolved with a happy grin.

"The healing trance will not fix everything but the rest will be back to normal once you meditate, Raven" Said Knowledge, while fixing her glasses.

"Did all that really happened? Did he really say…and did…?" Raven asked with some uncertainty while looking at each one of her emotions who were present. Between smiles and smirks, they nodded their response and stopped on Knowledge who oddly enough, wasn't arguing her way on such a silly display. "Even you think the same way?"

"An unavoidable measure that I have to admit… it was… enjoyable"

"Ok… I guess I must …"

"Rae-Rae… let me out… they all had their chance and I want to see BB" pleaded Happy to her mistress who was at a lost of words.

"Happy, that might not be a good idea as she is still recuperating" Said Wisdom from behind the group.

"But… Raven might want to consider… bringing him …here… for a short while?'' Rage suggested, all heads turning her way.

"What?.. You want me to bring him here?" asked Raven, surprised at who made the suggestions but suddenly a flash of images, memories of an angry kiss, made her stop questioning while a smirking Rage continued.

"Sure, why not… if the rest of your emotions are satisfied, there is no reason for your powers to… act up"

"Raven, Red is right… the reason your powers go out of control is because there is an emotional conflict within yourself. Specially when Garfield is involved. Now that you know how you feel about him, you could give your emotions certain…freedom… in due time, your powers would be at your complete control" said Wisdom approaching her mistress and placing a hand on Happy's shoulder who wouldn't stop bouncing up and down.

"And that's a good thing… please Rae-Rae… pleeeeease!" said Happy .

"Ok, ok, I'll think about it… and I'll talk to him as well"

…

…

Raven's dark aura faded and softly descended on the bed. She sat down, still a bit confused but one look at the bed next to hers, no more than three feet away, made her smile. There, snoring softly, was Garfield laying on his right side facing her. The springs of the bed made noise when she swung her legs over the edge in between the beds and made Garfield wake up. He rubbed his eyes and smiled the moment he saw her sitting in front of him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up…"

"It's ok Rae… how are you feeling?"

"Exhausted… but better…" she looked down at her hands on her lap. Fidgeting with her fingers while he sat down on his bed, facing her, then she wet her lips and continued. "I'm aware of… what you did earlier"

His eyes went wide. " Do you remember… everything?" Concern or fear… she wasn't sure, but could not help a small pang of guilt for making him feel worried that she would be upset with him.

"Not everything, just the basics but, I just wanted to say thank you" she said in her usual monotone.

"No problem" he said. His ears drooped in what she knew was a sign of disappointment. She reached for his hand and whispered "Gar… we have a lot to talk about but right now, I don't trust myself or my powers. I need to meditate. Give me one more day and I promise we'll talk about it"

He gave her that goofy, toothy smile she had grown so fond of and leaned in and brushed his lips on hers causing one of the monitors to explode and both of them jumped away from each other while blushing.

"I better go, I don't think Cyborg will appreciate it if I destroy all this equipment"

"Let me come with you. I promise I wont disturb you"

"Meditating will take me great part of the day, probably well into the night and you need to eat and sleep" she got off the bed and walked around towards the chair where her cloak was, all the while, aware of his eyes on her. She placed the hood over her head right before she turned to find him standing next to her. A blush warmed her cheeks and was glad for the privacy of the shadows.

"How about a compromise?" he said. She tilted her head slightly.

"I'm listening"

"If I promise to do that, eat and sleep during the day, can I come and see you in the evening? I promise I wont interrupt".

She pondered at his words while getting lost in his eyes for a moment. "Very well…" and stepped back to open a portal and before walking into the black void she said "I'll be in the roof" and disappeared thru the floor. He sighed deeply and started to walk out of the med bay absentmindedly with a grin on his face.

…

…

It was almost seven in the morning when Garfield walked in the common room. Cyborg was preparing breakfast and Wally and Meliah were sitting at the table chatting happily.

"Hey grass stain. I'll take it Raven woke up? The heart monitor I had hooked on her just stopped suddenly. I figured if there was anything wrong, you'll call, but since you didn't, I let it go. I she ok?"

"Yeah dude, she's meditating." he said with the biggest grins he had ever shown. Walked pass him to the refrigerator, prepared something quick for himself (Cyborg was cooking bacon and eggs again) and sat down and eat in contentment.

Meliah and Wally exchanged looks along with Cyborg who couldn't help but smile. "You know B, I haven't seen that smile since we came back from Raven's mind all those years ago"

…

…

Evening came and Garfield was more than anxious. He had eaten and slept most of the day, although he kept waking up every couple of hours or so. Robin had called in the main time and spoke to Cyborg. He and Starfire were getting back in a couple more days but in the main time he wanted the rest of the team to resume their training.

Thankfully the criminals had been absent for the rest of the day so other than Robin's call, there was nothing more to report other than a date that Meliah and Wally were about to be in later that evening.

Around eight o'clock, Garfield made his way to the roof. Running up the stairs at first but stopped dead right in front of the door. He had promised not to disturb and that's exactly how it was going to remain. He opened and closed the door softly and walked towards the edge. Raven was floating above the floor almost in the middle, back straight and legs crossed. Breathing calmly while her hair and cape moved at the rhythm of the evening breeze.

He walked a few steps but remained at a distance. He didn't wait too long. Raven open her eyes to a summer sundown. With soft colors in the horizon as the last sun rays struggled to remain what seemed to be above the water. She took a deep breath, taking in the warmth of the breeze. Then fell on her feet and walked to the edge. There was a change in the atmosphere as a wave of emotions washed on her senses and she remembered Garfield would be nearby and for a moment she wasn't sure if it was her own nerves what she felt instead of his.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder as he approached and looked back out to the water. "Did you sleep good?"

"Like a baby" was his reply. "How are you? Do you feel better after meditating all day?" he said and leaned on the edge on his elbows. She sighed deeply a couple of times before he noticed her hesitation.

"Just enough" she said finally while another wave of nerves coursed thru her stomach and she got closer.

"Enough for what?" he asked while she softly pushed his shoulder back to make him face her "This…" and leaned in on him and wrapped her arms around his neck while pulling him to her. His lips were as soft and warm as in her dreams… or memories? She wasn't sure, but she wasn't about to debate that a the moment. His arms wound up around her waist and pulled her closer. After a moment they stopped kissing but embraced each other in a hug.

"I missed you Gar"

"I missed you to Rae. I'm sorry if I took so long on coming back when I had promised you to come back sooner. I'm sorry I didn't call you back when you called. I'm sor…." she placed a finger on his lips for a moment.

"Gar, you're here now. That's all I care about"

"I love you Rae…"

"I love you too Gar." they remained in each other's arms watching the sun set.

After a while, they decided to go down to the rocks, his favorite spot when he wanted to think or to be alone. But not anymore. This spot was now where he and the love of his life were to start a new relationship and new memories.

He leaned against the rocks on the sand and she did the same on his chest. It was a point high above the rocks and waves at the bottom of the tower that overlooked other portions of the beach below. And there, walking away from them along the beach, was Meliah and Kid Flash holding hands and not too long after, they kissed. A shy, tender kiss that Garfield and Raven witnessed.

"is that… Kid Flash and Meliah?" asked Raven once she noticed them.

"Yes… did you know his real name is Wally?"

"No I didn't, how did you know"

"When he met her the day we rescue you, Star and Red X from Slade. He was so nervous he told her his real name instead of his hero name… have to admit something though. He doesn't waist time" Raven smiled and looked up at him and shared another tender kiss. He had his arms around her body while her head rested on his chest, listening to his heartbeat . She was thinking on how to ask him how he felt about going back to Nevermore when his heartbeat started to accelerate and brought her out of her thoughts.

He leaned enough to kiss the top of her head to get her attention. When she looked up, he kissed her lips once more then trailed soft kisses along her cheek until he reached her ear and whispered "Marry me". a gasp escaped her lips as her own heart started to beat faster along with his in expectation of her answer.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33. Experiment.**

Raven was surprised at his words and for a moment didn't know what to say. "Gar… I don't think…"

"I know we're young and you just kinda discovered what you feel for me but…" he said while brushing a strand of hair and tucking it behind her left ear. "I know is you who I want to spend the rest of my life with"

"Gar, that is a monumental decision… you cant expect me to answer it right away" she said barely above a whisper. The last thing she wanted was to hurt his feelings. He chuckled quietly to himself and smiled while pulling her chin up so he could give her a peck on the lips.

"I don't…Raven, I'm not asking you to get married tomorrow, or next week or even next year, just… think about it" he said and pushed himself off the rock, grabbed her hand and started walking but she pulled him back to face her. He stopped inches away from her face, eyes intent on each other.

"If you didn't expect an answer right away then, why… did you… proposed?"

"Because I've known for a while how much I love you and I wanted you to know that. I also want you to consider spend the rest of your life with me." he said while resting his forehead on hers.

"I don't know about that… at least not yet" she whispered.

""Not yet"… I can work with that… in that case, would you at least consider… being my girlfriend?"

A giggle resonated in Raven's mind and tried to repress one of her own. Happy was again having a fieldtrip and already a few small rocks around them were encased in her dark magic dancing at the sound of the waves. She did give him a little smile and said "Yes". and although she was able to contain her own emotion, Garfield did not and pulled her in a hug and kissed her cheeks, her forehead then her lips, all the while saying "I love you… you wont regret it… I love you…" then kissed her neck sending nervous waves of surprise and delight to her very core making the rocks spiral around them faster until they were above the couple, crashed onto each other and pulverized on impact, showering them with tiny pieces that felt like sand.

"Sorry" they both said after a moment and she repressed a giggle while he tried to get the pieces of sand off her hair and she did the same on his shoulders and head while she thought about what Rage and Wisdom had said earlier.

"Gar…how would you feel about visiting Nevermore again?"

"Really?.. I thought I wasn't allowed back in there"

"Well, you're my boyfriend now and I'm allowing you to go in… besides… Happy said something about not getting her chance… whatever that means…" she said while looking into his eyes and for a moment, he swallowed hard while feeling a fleeting sense of panic.

…

…

In the main time, Meliah and Kid Flash walked silently hand in hand along the beach. Her first kiss had been somewhat sweet and somewhat awkward at the same time. With the lack of experience, she doubted he had enjoyed it.

"Wally, I'm sorry if I'm not what you expected. I have no experience in this kind of things"

"you have nothing to be sorry for, I don't have much experience myself so I'm no one to judge, but maybe… with practice… we get better at it" he said while blushing. and his face was almost as red as his hair. She smiled and for the first time, she understood the meaning of the word cute.

…

…

Cyborg was standing in front of the big window in the common room looking down at the couples on the beach not too far apart from each other. He was using his cybernetic eye to get a better look and with happy almost surprise saw when Beast Boy kissed Raven and chuckled when the rocks exploded above them. He had to admit, they were a peculiar yet cute couple and oddly enough, they complemented each other.

And then there was Meliah. She was pure animal instinct. Sensual, bold and brave, yet, with Kid Flash she seemed as if she had never gone thru all the horrors and pain she had lived in up until a month ago. He made her smile and he seemed genuinely interested in her.

He turned around and was walking towards the kitchen when his communicator went off. He opened the panel on his left arm and Robin appeared on the screen. After inquiring how everyone was doing, he found out of the possible new relationships. Starfire was also in the screen, exuberant for the news. At the end of the conversation he requested a conference call with the team early the next day for an update of what had been happening in Gotham.

…

…

A portal opened in front of Raven's room showing the sorceress and the changeling hand in hand. They found a post it note on the door "Conference call with Robin and Star tomorrow at 8 am". she peeled it off and after entering the code on the panel, they entered her room.

"Its hasn't changed much since the last time you were here" she said while she lighted a few candles. The eeriness of the place however, kept him distracted and looking around at the curtains expecting her emotions to come out of there just like the night before.

"Don't worry, they're not out here" she said with a curious glance at her new boyfriend.

"You… remember that?"

"Not as an exact memory, but yes."

"And… you're not mad that I was in your room without your permission?"

"Well Gar, technically I asked you to come in, so no. I have no reason to be mad at you because of that" she said while rummaging thru a drawer on the dresser where she had placed the mirror earlier that day, before meditating. When she found it, she took his hand and led him to the bed to sit in the middle, across from each other with their legs crossed with the mirror right in between.

After chanting her mantra, a soft breeze blew across their faces right before a chilly dark hand of energy grabbed each one and took them thru the spiral of the tunnel and landed on a soft patch of grass. It seemed that no matter what time it was out there, in here it was always sunny and bright. The flowers were at their best as they only are in spring and their smell was both alluring and intoxicating. And with a puff of dark energy, the pink cloaked emotion appeared in front of them with a smile from ear to ear, but the moment she saw Garfield she jumped in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"BB… BB you came… I cant believe it I finally have you here with me (gasp) I cant believe you're now my boyfriend… yay! Yay!" she said while almost jumping off his arms and he almost lost his balance and wrapped his arms around her when Happy suddenly kissed him. Then as if remembering who else was there, he looked at Raven, apologetically and mouthed "Sorry" . Raven lifted an eyebrow at her emotion's less than controlled excitement with her new boyfriend then shook her head and said in her usual monotone "Don't worry. Apparently I am that happy that you're here. I think you'll be ok if I leave you a few minutes."

"Of course he's gonna be ok Rae-Rae, but the others will be here soon and I want him for myself for a little longer. Go do whatever you need to do, I'll keep a close eye on him" Happy said while leaning on his chest.

"What do you think Gar… will you be ok?" said almost smiling.

"I… I think so… go ahead, just… don't take long" he said and Happy squealed in delight and pulled him towards a tree while Raven walked away slowly. She dared a glance back before taking off to the library of her mind and saw how Garfield was being pulled further behind the tree by more than two arms. She came back only a few minutes later when she had found no one at the library, that's when she heard the giggles and laughs, and at some point heard Garfield as well "No, not there…" he laughed. "Wait, wait, what are you doing… ow.. Did you just pinch me?"

Raven raised an eyebrow, "We have discovered interesting facts" said the one in yellow. that's when she noticed two of her emotions floating above the ground with their legs crossed, slightly smiling while watching what was happening. "That I'm a pervert?" said Raven.

"Far from it" said the one in blue. "He was… kind enough to help with our research and shyly complied"

"He is however ticklish if you kiss his neck, purrs like a kitten if you stroke his ears and the muscles on his legs, thighs and buns are hard as rocks and the tiny claws under those gloves can retract or come out at his will" said Knowledge in her calm and analytic monotone.

"And you found all this out in less than five minutes?"

"Well, there are more of us than parts of his body" said the one in blue still looking ahead and Raven followed her gaze. Rage had untangled herself from the rest and walked towards her mistress and said "Careful when you bite his lower lip… he bites back"

"Noted" said Knowledge who now had a clipboard on her lap and a feather on her hand while a small bottle of ink floated in front of her. Rage disappeared and Raven could not take it anymore.

"Ladies!" she called out, getting their attention. "Garfield and I have to go"

A collective "awww Rae-Rae" and one by one started to disappear after saying goodbye to Garfield who was kneeling on the ground while the one in purple was wiping off lipstick off his face.

"Lipstick?" asked Raven and glanced curiously at the ones next to her.

"Part of our research. He doesn't mind lipstick but prefers bare lips" said the one in yellow while nodding towards Garfield. Raven turned to see the one in purple approach while a sleeping Garfield laid comfortably on the grass.

"So you're the one performing that sleeping spell" the other girl nodded once with a smile while lifting her right hand to the level of her lips and blew what seemed to be powder to Raven's face.

…

…

When Raven woke up the next morning, it was almost six thirty. The sun was barely making its appearance and the bed felt more comfortable than usual. She was laying down on her right side when a soft snore got her attention, but when she tried to get uo, she found a green arm wrapped around her waist from behind. She blushed immediately at the intimacy of their position. Slowly she looked about her gave a sigh of relief when found her clothes and his still intact, covering their bodies along with a sheet that covered their legs.

Very carefully she turned around to face him. He looked so peaceful in his sleep with a trace of a smile on his lips. His hair was tussled and she could see his fang sticking out of his lips. For a moment she wondered how was it possible that she had not felt it when they were kissing the night before. Another blush warmed her face and made her very aware of how close she was of his lips again and without any more hesitation, placed a soft kiss on them, then decided to run her finger thru his hair. But he started to stir and slowly opened his eyes.

"Good morning" Raven whispered, not sure how awake he really was. He closed his eyes again and smiled and said "Good morning babe" he said but reality suddenly hit and he opened his eyes wide in surprise and tried to move away but their feet were tangled on the sheet and he was too close to the edge that with a jerk of his arm, lost his balance and fell backwards on the floor pulling Raven off the bed and fell on top of him.

"I don't know about you but I don't know what's more awkward, you sleeping with me on my bed or you making me fall off it"

"um… I don't know about awkward but I call it practicing…" he said with a nervous laugh. She raised an eyebrow at his joke and tried to get up, but the tangled sheet was also caught at the corner of the bed and so with a swift move, he grabbed her by the waist and turned them around to where now he was on top of her .his knees on both sides of her hips and his hands cradling her head while her hands rested on the sides of his ribcage.

There was silence they look into each other's eyes. He lower and placed soft kisses on her chin and along her jaw line, all the while he was purring like a kitten and she gasped when he got to her neck. "I better go" he whispered in her ear and before he got completely off of her, he placed a kiss on her lips, then helped her to her feet. That's when he noticed a few of her knick knacks floating around them. He smiled, kissed the hand he was still holding and said "I'll see you at breakfast" she nodded once and watched him go. Once he had left, the floating items fell back into their respective place and she smile broadly to herself.

…

…

_Ok, so i know i said this might be the last chapter, but as i kept writing i remembered more things that i wanted to add and other things that i had completely forgotten so i hope you guys dont mind a few more chapters. _


	34. Chapter 34

_**Well, hello everyone. sorry for the delay. I ran into the most annoying of writer's block. Knowing beginning and end but idea how to connect the two. anyway, I finally found the connection and here it is. Thank you for the reviews and words of encouragement. Really help my inspiration.**_

_**By the way, if you haven't already read it, i wrote another one shot while i was coming out of my writer's block yesterday. Its called "What did you learn?" about Beast Boy saying the wrong thing and Raven teaching him a lesson. check it out, you might like it. **_

**_Anyway, enough rambling, here is chapter 34, enjoy._**

**Chapter 34. Acquaintances.**

Breakfast was almost quiet as Cyborg watched amused at the looks Raven and Garfield exchanged. Although Raven was very discreet, Beast boy could not contain his excitement and smiled in his goofy way when he looked at Raven or whenever she spoke, which made her blush more than once but tried to hide it under her hood.

Meliah could not help but feel happy for her friend. He had a sparkle in his eyes she had never seen and wondered what could that feel like. True, she had finally had her first real kiss with a sweet guy, that unfortunately, only reminded her of Garfield . And sadly remembered what had happened as they walked along the shore. She could only think about how alike and how different were the two. At some point, her wild side decided to intervene and pointed out her own opinion.

_Last night_

"This scrawny, poor excuse of a … well, he's not even a man yet so I don't know what does he pretend to be …"

"Stop" Meliha whispered to herself.

"Stop what? Pointing out the truth? Do you think he would be capable of satisfying us?"

"You need to stop" Meliah said to herself again, growing more frustrated. Finally she had a chance to have someone special for herself, someone sweet and tender like Garfield. Then why her other side didn't see that.

"Because deep down you know I'm right and you'll forever live comparing him to Gar… do you really want to go on like that?"

"How can you be so sure?" Meliah mumbled to herself.

"Because deep down you'll find me and I am you and if I am thinking like this is because of you, so don't tell me I'm wrong. You can lie to others that I don't exist but you cannot deny and lie to yourself"

"ENOUGH!" Meliah said out loud and involuntarily let go of Wally's hand and covered her ears. He in the main time, had been talking to her all the while but fell silent after her outburst. "What's the matter?" he asked while trying to reach for her hand but she took a step back. She looked him in the eyes for a few seconds and realized how true her thoughts had been.

"I'm sorry Wally, but this is not going to work out"

"M, I know we just met but…"

"DON'T… call me that… " she said and her eyes crystallized suddenly and a dangerous air surrounded them. The last thing she had wanted was to confirm what her own mind was telling her, but there it was, this complete stranger calling her by the pet name Garfield had given her. "Told you so" the sensuous voice in her mind said.

Meliah closed her eyes and took a few deep, calming breaths before she dared to speak to him again "Wally, I'm really sorry, you're a wonderful guy but there are things I have to work on and right now I cannot afford a distraction like this"

"Meliah, if I said something I shouldn't have, I'm sor…"

"Don't be, just… please try to understand… I've gone thru too much to pretend I'm normal enough to start a relationship" the disappointment was obvious in his eyes. He tried to smile and pretend everything was fine but he just couldn't and it tore her inside. Sadly she realized that Garfield would have reacted the same way and so, she whispered "I'm sorry" then turned into a falcon and took off. However, midair she decided to turn but he was gone and what was left was a small trail of sand and dust settling back down after he had taken off at great speed.

_Present _

"M!…" called out Garfield but Meliah was so lost in thought that she didn't hear him at first until Raven stood next to her to get her attention causing Meliah's senses to react and as usual, her eyes crystallized at the close proximity of the empath. Raven on the other hand, had felt the wave of emotions. Sadness, rejection, fear and shame were some if not the only feelings overwhelming Meliah and this caused for Raven to raise an eyebrow but said nothing. Garfield watched them as they seem to have a staring contest for a moment but he noticed a certain sadness in Meliah's wild eyes.

"M, what's the matter?" he said as he leaned on the table to get a better look. Meliah averted her eyes and looked at him then back at Raven, then for a moment she closed her eyes and tried to compose herself by taking a deep breath, when she opened them again, she smiled a little and said "Nothing". Garfield didn't believe her and was about to ask her again when Cyborg called out to them.

"Ya'll better get ready, the video conference is about to start in two minutes" he said from the console of the computer in the common room.

As they settled in their sits around the console, Robin's face was shown on the screen. He noticed how close were Raven and Beast Boy sitting and tried to hide a smirk, then inquired about Raven's health to which thankfully he didn't know specific details about the solution and expressed his relief when Raven confirmed that she was back to top health again.

The main reason for the call however, was about Slade's condition. He had been treated by specialists to find out about his condition and found out that he was paralyzed. The doctors found a mixture of venoms and enzymes in his system that contributed to the damage of nerve and muscle function. There was silence for a moment and they couldn't help but turn to Meliah.

"I'm sorry, survival instincts. He stabbed me before I could get him to pass out. I think I crushed a rib or two but I cant remember anything after that" she said in a semi serious voice when she noticed their curious looks while her eyes were crystallized in shreds of blue.

"We are not accusing you Meliah, you did what you had to do. You don't need to be upset" Robin said who had also noticed her eyes change in the course of the conversation and was somehow concern about another outburst of her temper.

"But I am not upset" she said with a smile. "However, I still react to Raven's presence. Its hard not to… don't you think Garfield?" she said with a smirk and Garfield blushed and said "I know what you mean" he said while glancing at his new girlfriend who blushed even more before pulling the hood over her head.

"Besides… it will take me a while to get used to be around her and not react like this. Instincts are hard to control and my meds can only do so much"

"And I'm sure Beast boy can vouch for that as well" said Cyborg with a mischievous

Smile.

Robin cleared his throat to get the attention back to the matter at hand. "There is also something else about Slade. We received word this morning that he was somehow healing faster. The doctors had estimated an indefinite time for him to even be able to move a finger, but this morning they found him floating above the bed with traces of dark energy around him"

"WHAT?!" they all said.

"He's in a healing trance?" asked Cyborg in a desperate tone.

"Apparently so… Raven, any idea how can this be possible?" asked Robin.

"I… I don't know. He was under Trigon's influence for a while but who knows how long. Is possible that… he might have absorbed enough dark energy to have at least that."

"Do you think is possible for him to have those powers back even when Trigon is gone?"

"No. without his influence there is no way he would. But he must have fallen unconscious by the trauma and triggered the healing . It could be a one time deal."

"Who is this… Trigon?" asked Meliah truly curious but everyone fell silent and turned to Raven. They knew she despised the fact of who her father was and so, they let her give her own answer. Raven turned her head very slowly towards Meliah and said in a cold monotone "A real demon". Realization hit Meliah as a chill down her spine, deep into her bones ,One of the many tales Garfield had mentioned on their way to Africa. The one about Raven's father, but he had failed in mentioning a name

Garfield, who was sitting in between the two placed a hand on their shoulders to calm them down. "Its ok Rae, she didn't know" he whispered almost in her ear and she looked away. Then he turned to Meliah and said "M, we don't talk about… him. It upsets Raven"

"Very well Gar, whatever you say" she said after a moment. There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes more until Cyborg spoke "Hey Rob, you seem really calm about Slade. What'd you do?"

Robin couldn't help but smirk "He's no longer in Gotham or Earth for that matter"

There was dead silence while they try to make sense of what they just heard. "Dude, I thought you said he was healing" said Garfield with some apprehension. When Robin saw their horror expressions he immediately corrected them "No, no, no Titans, is not what you think. No matter how much grief he has given us, I would never kill him…"

"So what, you had someone else do it?" accused Cyborg.

"What?.. No… it just.. Ugh…"

"Friends, you are misunderstanding .Slade is very much alive and healing. What Robin meant is that he no longer resides in this planet. The League of Justice agreed to incarcerate him in their quarters of heads just outside Earth." said Starfire coming to Robin's rescue.

An incredulous and confused Meliah could only ask "What?"

"The Justice League took Slade to the Watchtower in space" said Raven in her usual monotone. Robin couldn't help but sigh in relief that the two girls in his team understood each other enough to rescue him in moments like this.

"Oooohhhh" said Cyborg and Garfield once they understood what the alien had said.

"It will be next to impossible for Slade to even lift a finger out of place with all those superheroes around." said Raven to Robin who nodded in agreement and a satisfied smile.

"Friend Meliah? Where is Kid Flash?" Starfire asked with some concern. Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven looked around involuntarily, finally realizing the speedster was no where to be found.

"He returned home last night" said Meliah quietly.

"But why? I thought you two were together now"

"I'm afraid we rushed into things and it wasn't going to work out."

"Oh" was all Starfire could say while she glanced to her left side with what seemed to be a smirk.

"Starfire? Where is Red X?" asked Raven..

"Hello beautiful" said a melodious voice " Did I hear you asking about me? Do I dare say that you miss me?" said the thief finally appearing in the screen.

"Hardly" answered Raven in her monotone.

"Or do you prefer to tell me when Beast Boy is not around?"

"Dude, I'm right here. Stop flirting with my… with Raven" Beast Boy blushed for a moment. Although Raven was now his girlfriend, he wasn't sure how she wanted to go public. If it was up to him, he would have yelled at the four winds the moment she said yes, but Raven was more reserved than that and she might have not be too happy with him, but she surprised him when she placed a hand on his knee for all to see.

The thief chuckled "So its true then?"

"Yes"

"I see…" he said and Meliah didn't miss the disappointment in his tone. How was this possible. Raven was hardly ever friendly. For what Gar had told her, she was a fierce fighter and her dark magic was a bone chilling matter, and yet, had Garfield wrapped around her finger and now it seems that Red X has a thing for her as well. But tried to dismiss the last. Was she really feeling jealous? Such an alien word for her. Only a few weeks ago she was fighting a mercenary and trying to escape the twisted plans her own father had for her but now?

"Hello kitten, long time no see" said Red X interrupting her reverie and smiled while she looked up at the screen. "Hello Red X…long time indeed". but at that moment, the alarms went off. Red and yellow lights illuminated the already lit common room. Cyborg run to the console and after stroking a few keys they got the location of the culprit.

"Anyone serious?" asked Robin once more in the screen.

"Nah, its just Control Freak downtown. We can handle him." said Cyborg.

"Alright Titans, we'll be back by tomorrow evening and take Meliah on this mission… Perhaps you might like to consider become one of us?" he asked Meliah who didn't know how to answer. She had never been in a team before, always been on her own.

"What do you say M?" asked Beast Boy with an expectant smile. She smiled back and agreed.

…

…

Two hours later, they came back to the tower. Control Freak, as always, was a villain of no consequence. The electronics store he had tried to take over had been in disarray when they left, with all his "minions" tossed and destroyed. But the villain had been captured rather fast this time. He had become very distracted at the new face in the team. At some point, Beast Boy had come next to the villain ready to apprehend him while Meliah turned into several animals across not too far away from them, trying to get rid off the possessed electronic devices.

When Beast Boy placed a hand on his shoulder, Control Freak didn't even flinch. He was even drooling with dreamy eyes at the strange girl. "Dude, what's your problem" asked Beast Boy following his gaze.

"Who is she?" the villain asked plainly staring at the girl.

"Dude, don't do that. It makes her uncomfortable" at that moment, Meliah kicked and destroyed the last of the electronic devices and came in front of the Control Freak.

"Ready to give yourself up or are going to have to make you?" she said staring down at the chubby guy who was fascinated with her eyes. Then in a sudden move, extended his arms and hanging his wrists in front of her and said "I'm all yours" and lowered his head in exaggerated defeat. A pair of handcuffs clicked into place but when the villain looked up, it was Cyborg who had put them on and was pulling him towards the police car already waiting.

"Wait, wait. I have something to say" he told Cyborg then turned to Meliah who was following them close behind.

"I always liked Beast Boy's powers, he makes them look cool but you, make them look sexy…"

"Are you seriously hitting on her man?" asked Cyborg but Control Freak ignored him.

" I have to know… what's your name"

"Meliah" she answered with a curious frown.

"Alright man, time to go" said Cyborg and pushed him once more towards the police car.

"Until next time my sexy, wild thing… I'll dream of you every night.." Meliah hissed in disgust and was ready to pounce at the foolish fat guy but the police car was finally gone.

All the way back, while waiting for their order of five pizzas to get ready, Garfield and Cyborg could not help but chuckle at the villain's outburst. Raven remained quiet all the while but quietly chuckled to herself.

Once at the Tower, Raven, beast Boy and Meliah headed to the common room. Raven prepared some tea while Beast Boy placed the boxes of pizza on the table and Cyborg arrived a few minutes later. After they ate, Cyborg returned to the garage, Beast Boy helped Raven with the dishes while Meliah headed towards the big window and stared, lost inn thought, to the city.

Beast Boy glanced at her for a moment then turned to Raven who was drying the last of the dishes. He came behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist while resting his chin on her shoulder. Such familiarity was strange for Raven but it also felt right. An involuntary sigh escaped her while she put her hands over his and leaned a little on his chest. He kissed her cheek and said softly in her ear "I'm glad Red X knows about us"

"Were you ever jealous of him?" she whispered. He tightened his hold a bit more and whispered back "You have no idea" he said. that made her grin in satisfaction but also caused a plate to explode on the table. Melah turned sharply at the noise but quickly turned right back when she saw them in such intimate embrace.

"I have to meditate" Raven said softly while turning to face him. "Would you like me to come with you?" he asked, still holding on to her waist while she placed her hands over his chest.

"As much as I'd like to, she might need you more right now" she said nodding towards Meliah on the window.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she might want to talk to someone about what happened last night with Kid Flash. She still doesn't trusts Cyborg or me just yet"

"I see" he said, his ears drooping a little but then she added. "I'll come find you when I'm done" he gave her his toothy smile and said "I'd like that" and shyly shared a tender kiss. Then she glided out of the common room and he headed towards the window.

" Hey M…Want to go down to the beach for a bit?" she nodded and he both got out thru the open window. They sat nearby his new favorite spot over by the rocks and chatted away. At some point the mentioned his rushed proposal.

"Did she say no?" she asked.

"Yes…no… well, more like a definite maybe, but she did say yes when I asked her to be my girlfriend." he answered proudly.

"I'm so happy for you Gar, I'm glad you're getting who you really want"

"M, what happened with Wally? I thought you liked him"

"It just wouldn't have work out. I have issues within myself to take care of, I cannot pretend I'm normal."

"But you are M" she sighed at his words.

"Well, I do like someone else, but unfortunately, he also likes Rav…" she stopped mid sentence and looked towards the Tower. Garfield noticed her eyes crystallized and turned towards the Tower. Everything was silent, still.

"M? what's going on" her answer was a hiss and said "He's here" thru gritted teeth and slowly, as if assessing a prey, got up on bent knees, trying to find her target.

"Who Meliah?… I see no one, how do you know someone else is here?" he said while mimicking her moves.

"Because he's trying to get in my head again" she said and in a split second, turned into a cheetah and ran towards the back of the Tower. Garfield still couldn't see anyone but did the same and caught up with her. She stopped a few feet away from the edge and from around the corner, a figure emerged, in a defensive pose.

"Mento" she growled, ready to attack.

"Phantom…I'll suggest you to step away from my son this instant"

"Make me" the moment she said this, Mento raised his hand to his helmet and Meliah turned into a bear and pounced at her offender.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35. Australia.**

_Australia. Two years ago._

The gorilla swung in one arm over the overgrown roots and branches in its path with such force that with every swing was gaining speed. Swamps, waterfalls, greenery as far as the eye could see. Remnants of a plain crash of long ago were part of the scenery and wild animals of all colors, shapes and sizes, and yet, there were paths that signaled civilization nearby and in what seemed to be an intersection of sorts, came across a sign like those found on city streets to direct the traffic, but instead of a car silhouette, they were figures of four different animals, signaling the abundance of such in that specific area. The gorilla looked at it for a moment and even found it amusing but the crunching sound of broken branches and dry leaves was heard not too far behind.

So, with a swing of its massive arms, climbed the trunk of the tree just ahead and swung thru the nearby branches away from that spot. A few seconds later, heavy footsteps made their way to the intersection, revealing a tall golden metal man followed by three more members of his team. The leader walking pass him to assess the situation.

"…Negative man, take the lead, Mallah cannot be too far… Robot Man, go around and try to cut his path short. Rita and I will follow his trail and lead him to the cliff. He might be able to swing his way thru the branches, but I doubt he can fly". said the leader and as his friends run to their respective positions, he placed his fingers on his helmet and tried to follow the mental trail of their target.

But after a few moments of concentration, Mento frowned.

"Steve, what's wrong?" asked Rita when she saw his expression.

"His thoughts are erratic, completely irrational. I try to pry into his mind but… all I get is forest. Changing direction aimlessly, is difficult to get a lock on his position but there is something else Rita…"

"What is that"

"I'm not so sure he's Mallah" this draw a gasp from Rita and a curious look. "Steve, is it possible that this is just a normal gorilla and we're just scaring him away?"

"No Rita, it might not be Mallah, but he's definitely not a normal mammal" then as soon as he finished, his communicator went off. He pressed a button on his helmet and a thin microphone appeared on the side. "Mento, you and Rita better come. We have Mallah cornered by the cliff"

"Don't engage him Robot Man, I'm afraid we're against someone different"

A few minutes later, Mento and Rita arrived at the location. The gorilla was growling while backing away but soon touched the edge of the cliff but he seemed indifferent to the fact he was trapped, so instead, focused on the four strangers closing in.

"Give up already Mallah, you have nowhere else to run off to" said Robot Man, bending his knees, hands and arms open as if ready to stop a heavy weight. The gorilla just tilted its head as if taunting the metal man and even seemed to grin at the sight.

"What? No smart come back from you, big ape? Or what, the Brain cut off your tongue because you failed in your last attempt to destroy humanity?" taunted Robot Man with a smirk. But again, there was no response.

"Cliff wait!" said Rita lifting a hand to stop her friend. "This is not Mallah…"

"How can you say this ugly monkey is not Mallah. He's been deliberately avoiding us and running away" said an angry Robot Man.

"Let me try Cliff, perhaps… a different approach is what we need to get our answers" Rita said and started to walk towards the animal. Slowly so as to not startled him. that's when she noticed the scars on the left side of his face.

In the main time, Mento was trying to make his way thru the jumbled gorilla's mind. A disarray of events that seemed to be from two different perspectives instead of only one mind.

Meanwhile, the gorilla seemed to frown at something. Looked confused for a moment and the thoughts started to discern on their own accord. As if someone was going thru the index of a book. Memories started pouring in. Memories her mind had buried a long time ago, and there, in her mind's eye, a single image was held unwillingly.

As Rita approached, saw the animal's discomfort and started to grab its head and shake it with eyes closed. Mento was finally getting clearer images from the gorilla's mind. Cages, chains, ocean were prominent, but a single image caught his attention and a chill run down his spine. "RITA! WATCH OUT!" he yelled.

Suddenly, the gorilla opened his eyes that looked like shreds of crystallized blue and roared angrily. Rita stopped only a few feet away and then the gorilla swung its heavy arms, and slammed them on the ground. Then extended his arms and fur grew out and became long feathers, its body shrunk into itself and lower extremities became talons, neck elongated and curved, and the snout became a beak that made a hissing sound. A king vulture stood before her, with its massive wings that made it hover for a split second before turning and flying down the cliff over the rocks and disappeared among the greenery below. The five heroes were too astonished to even react. Mento came running to his wife and placed a hand on her shoulder while the other two were at the edge of the cliff trying to follow the trail of the vulture.

"Rita, are you ok?"

"Steve… he's just like Garfield" whispered Rita, still in shock.

"She's not only like Garfield Rita, she also knows him" said Mento quietly.

"What!" She breathed and turned to her husband "You must be mistaken… Garfield would have told us if he knew about someone like him"

"We don't know if perhaps Garfield didn't want to alarm us but I think he made those scars on her face…"

"Her?…" asked Rita finally realizing what her husband was saying.

"Yes, is not a he, but a she and from what I could pick up, she's got anger issues. I need more time to find out. We need to find her"

"Should we tell Garfield? If she's somehow after him, then…"

"No, I doubt she knows where Garfield is. Those memories were not recent. We'll capture her then we'll get our answers"

* * *

It took two days of chasing and following tracks. Mento realized that the unknown changeling's ability also provided sort of a block on her mind. Environments were perceived differently with each change, as well as mental patterns. But he was also sure that she was doing that on purpose. Along the way, they encounter rumors of locals that had at some point seen animals turn into something else. Even ones that did not exist by nature in those lands. They had called it The Phantom. And was heard of, not only in those lands but other continents.

Finally, they had caught up with her. Found her on the skirts of a swamp as a mountain lion, eating the remnants of a zebra. They were across, a few feet away and watched her turn back into her human form. A young brunette, slim if not too skinny for her height. She was naked but quickly found some clothes inside a hollow trunk nearby. A tank top and shorts.

While changing however, she kept looking around across the water. Perhaps searching for other animals. Then from the same trunk, took something out and grabbing nearby dry twigs, made a fire and with what seemed to be a spear, puncture the piece of meat and started to roast it.

"She's so young Steve. Look at the way she has to live" whispered Rita with a heavy heart.

"Don't let yourself be fooled Rita. I don't think she's that innocent" said Mento just as low.

"How are we going to capture her. She can transform into any animal. At least when Garfield does it, he's distinctive. Every animal he transforms into, is green. This one however, has no distinctive marks other than the scars on her face but we would have to get real close to be able to noticed them" asked Negative Man in a somewhat concerned whisper.

"I'll make her talk…" said Robot Man, ready to stand but Rita stopped him.

"No, I'll do it. Last time you were menacing and imposing. That will get us nowhere" then she turned to her husband " Maybe I can distract her enough while you look for answers in her mind… but be gentle. We don't need another goose chase if you scare her away." Mento frowned at her comment but said nothing, instead he nodded in agreement at her plan.

The girl was peeling pieces of cooked skin from the chunk of meat roasting on the fire. It had been a while since she had had enough time to eat. Fruits here and there had been her meals lately and that had started to affect her transformations. Not enough energy to keep certain forms longer made it difficult to run away from a poacher that was prepared to encounter any animal she could think of, but must of all, he was relentless. He hardly ever gave her time to rest enough.

She took a bite from the cooked meat and grimaced at the taste. She was still not used to eat raw meat and would only do it when in animal form like the lion, but she was weak and so, decided to cut a good chunk, leaving the rest behind for some other hungry animal and take that to her hide out place. Temporary, but she could at least have some clothes and a somewhat sense of privacy… or so she thought.

Approaching footsteps were heard from behind and she turned sharply at the intruder. To her surprise, it was the same woman she had encounter two days ago. The girl got up and narrowed her eyes and looked around in search of the others.

"Please dear, I mean you no harm… I just wish to talk" said Rita, hands lifted in defense as she walked slowly towards the girl who kept averting her eyes every which way looking for other intruders. "I came alone… you don't have to worry about them" the girl scuffed and with one last look around, she crouched again to tend to her food. Rita started walking again but the girl spoke for the first time. "Don't come any closer" she said, watching her visitor from the corner of her eye.

"My name is Rita…You're the one they call "The Phantom" correct?" the girl turned slightly her way and seemed to smile a little before answering "Yes"

"Where are you from?… if you don't mind me asking" asked Rita while she stood in her spot. Hands on her sides. This time, the girl didn't turn when she answered "Nowhere in particular"

"I have to ask… have you been in Africa before?" she asked. There was concern in her voice that the girl didn't understand so she turn to look at the woman before answering "Once or twice". there was silence for a moment full of tension that the girl couldn't take for long.

"Rita… is it?… what exactly do you wish to know" asked the phantom, looking at the woman straight in the eyes. Rita sighed deeply and clasped her hands in front of her.

"What I really want to know is if you knew a boy named Garfield?"

The girl breathed in sharply and frowned at the mention of that name. A name she had not spoken of in over ten years. Memories started to pour in again. Things she had not thought of and other things she had rather forget no matter how recent. She shook her head and tried to fight back a shiver, but that's when she realized the same sensation as before. The invasion of her mind to which there seemed to be no escape of. She tried to regain control of her mind and concentrated on a single feeling… anger. Because with anger came the change, and with the change came control.

Her eyes burned for a split second and sharply looked at the woman ahead of her then from behind the woman, out came the other three. The one in the middle being the one trying to invade her mind. "You tricked me!" she hissed and Rita saw the girl's eyes crystallize in shreds of blue and suddenly, her stance was menacing. Dangerous and unpredictable.

The phantom tried to transform but not only was she weak but also, the man with the mental powers was overwhelming her mind, controlling her every move. But , something snapped within her and out came her wilder side. Mento was thrown back and out of her mind with such force that he had to grab his head with both hands in the futile attempt to stop the acute ringing in his ears and the feeling of agonizing pain his mind had sensed and picked up from her.

"Phantom, please… we do not wish to fight… "

"You tricked me…" she repeated "And you shall pay for that…" said the girl with as much anger as she could then with a quick move, she turned into an anaconda, fangs ready, dripping with what seemed to be venom but Robot Man made his way to the serpent and grabbed her by the head right before her jaw closed in on Rita, but the slithering giant managed to be stronger than the metal man and smashed it against a tree nearby, causing him to loose his grip.

Mento was almost recuperated and had jumped towards Rita to get her out of the way when the soul self of Negative Man made its way towards the animal. Her senses spiked at the proximity of the entity and transformed into a vulture once more and flew upwards where the entity came chasing, then from up above, she noticed the limp body of the man who's soul was now chasing her and without a second thought, closed her wings and dropped rapidly towards the abandoned body.

Mento had seen her intention and pushed his powers to the limit to break the barrier in her mind. She screeched in pain and almost forgot to open her wings again to buffer her fall and at only a few feet from the ground, she turned into a cheetah and charged towards Mento who was now on his knees from the exertion. His mind was growing tired as was hers along with her body but kept going at full speed and would have succeeded had not been for a giant hand grabbing him and lifting him in the air. The cheetah turned to make sure what she saw had been real and yes, there she was. The woman she had been talking to not too long ago, now was taller than the trees. But then, a gun shot broke her concentration, then another…

Everyone looked around, and Rita returned to her normal size while Mento shook his head. But the girl already knew who it was and so, with what little energy she still had, she sprinted towards the water, jumped and turned into a water snake and once touched water, it disappeared in its depths.

* * *

_Present _

"GET AWAY FROM MY SON!

"MAKE ME!" with a growl, Meliah turned into a bear and charged towards Mento, who had raised his hand to his helmet, ready to use his telekinetic ability against his attacker.

"MELIAH, STOP!" said Garfield and with lightning speed turned into a bear himself and managed to catch her midair. The black bear roared with all its might as it tried to pry herself off of his paws and pushed him away.

Beast Boy turned back human and stepped in front of his adoptive parent and with arms open, tried to get Meliah's attention. "Meliah, what are you doing? He's not the enemy"

The bear went down on all four while still growling and narrowing her eyes at the young man. Who after seeing her making the effort to calm down a bit (at least that's what he thought), turned to the man behind him. "Mento, please, stop. She's not the enemy either"

"Garfield, I beg to differ, but I know there is something going on in her head and you're involved"

This, not only caught her attention but enraged her much more and made her growl dangerously but instead of attacking, she transformed back to her human form "ME THE ENEMY? You and your team have been after me since Australia…"

Then something else caught her eye and in astonishment, looked from one man to the other and realized they were wearing the same uniforms. "Garfield… you're one of them?" she said in an angry whisper. He followed the direction her eyes kept averting to which eventually also went down to her own attire with disgust.

"Is this how he found me?… thru you?" there was rage in her eyes and disappointment in her tone.

"M…no… whatever you're thinking, is not like that. Yes, I used to be part of them but not for the last five years… they insisted on me keeping the uniform so I would be able to transform… please Meliah, calm down" when she didn't respond and only glared, he turned the man behind him and said "Mento, what is she talking about? What happened?"

"Beast Boy, I don't think I need to explain myself. She knows what she's done"

"But I don't! What happened. In Australia?" asked an angry Beast Boy, trying not to loose his temper. Then his ears twitched at the barely there humming sound that Raven's powers created in the atmosphere and turned in the direction she'll soon appear, as did Meliah.

Raven came out of one of her portals. She had sensed the tension and the tell tale of a psychic's mind nearby. And she only knew two of them to be powerful enough for her to sense at a distance and one of them happened to be her new boyfriend's adoptive father. "What's going on? Why is the Doom Patrol here?" she asked to no one in particular.

"I don't know why, but Mento is after Meliah"

"I'll tell you what he thinks I've done Garfield. Two years ago I happened to be following a trail in search for my mother and running away from Alec, From South Africa to Australia. That was a year before I met Batman. I was in the forest side when I came across him and his team and he thought I was some… talking gorilla with a master plan"

"Mallah?" asked Raven with a frown.

"Why would Mallah be in Australia?"

"After the Titans destroyed their headquarters, Mallah managed to escape. We tracked him down and was last seen in Sydney" answered Mento, crossing his arms over his chest, not loosing sight of the female changeling.

"But that's not why we followed her, dear" came the soft, sweet, voice of Rita who walked next to her husband, while placing a soothing hand on his arm, locked eyes with him for a second then subtly placed herself between him and her adoptive son.

"Raven, Phantom… I wish our encounter would have been in less stressful conditions" said Rita. Raven nodded once and Meliah just narrowed her eyes. "Garfield, dear I'm sorry for showing up unannounced"

"Mom, what's going on? Why are you guys after Meliah?

"Oh, so that is your name dear… Meliah?" she said, ignoring for a moment Garfield's question and addressing The Phantom. "It is a uncommon name" Rita continued with a subtle smile and made the attempt to move towards the girl.

"Rita, Stop!" said Mento with a restraining hand on her shoulder at the same time that Meliah prepared to attack and Garfield tried to shield the two women from each other while Raven's hands were encased in her dark energy, ready to protect her boyfriend from either one.

Rita let out a sigh in controlled exasperation " Ok, we're never going to get anywhere like this" she said to everyone and no one in particular. Then turned to her husband "Steve, enough chasing around. We found her and Garfield is fine. Perhaps you misunderstood the situation…"

"There is no mistake in what I saw Rita. Our son is in danger"

"He is NOT your son… I knew his parents and they were NOTHING like you" Said Meliah with as much venom as she could but as soon as the words left her lips, she noticed the pained expression the older woman had and this did not go unnoticed.

"M… I know they're not my real parents, but they adopted me when I had no one left, so please, don't to her like that" Meliah saw the hurt and anger in his eyes as well and that made her calm down a little while her eyes went back to normal and Raven's hands stopped glowing.

"I'm sorry Gar…" she said to him and then turned to Rita and locked eyes with her for a moment "But is hard for me to trust people… specially them"

Raven looked from one to the other. There were certain subtle changes in Meliah's attitude that were not at all comforting but could not be certain. Then she felt a sudden tug on her mind and sharply turned towards Mento and glared.

"If you wish to know something, you'll be better off asking instead of trying to pry my mind" said Raven in an cold and menacing monotone.

"Mom is right, we're never going to get anywhere like this, Mento…" said Garfield after a moment. Then turned to Raven who's expression soften the moment she locked eyes with him. This did not go unnoticed by the Daytons.

"Rae, M… why don't you two go back inside and wait for me while I find out what's going on." he said walking towards the girls who's response was and arched eyebrow and an uneasy glance at each other.

"C'mon guys, we've been thru this… we all know where we stand" Garfield said, glancing from one to the other, with a lingering look on Raven and slight curve of his mouth into a subtle smile followed by a wink. This made Raven blush slightly and instinctively pulled the hood of her cloak over her head to hide it. While Meliah crossed her arms over her chest with a frown.

"You know Steve, you might have been right after all and our son is indeed in danger of not one, but two powerful forces of nature" whispered Rita to her husband standing right behind her.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because he's right in the middle of a silent war and he seems to be oblivious to that fact"

The two girls walked away while Garfield watched them disappear thru the main door, then turned to his adoptive parents who had a curious expression.

"Alright guys, mind telling me now what's going on?… why are you after Meliah?"

The Daytons looked at each other but Rita decided to take the lead.

"Dear, is true that we thought she was Mallah at some point, but that didn't last long…"

"I read her mind son, before and now again while you two were talking. There is something not right in her mind. Something that I'm afraid, even Meliah doesn't know about."

Garfield let out a sigh, not entirely of relief but close enough. "I know about her condition dad. She suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder. I've seen her two sides… but I'm telling you… she's the same sweet girl I met when we were kids"

"Is beyond a simple mental disorder Garfield… there is something trapped in her mind and is making its way out" said Mento with a stern but concerned tone.

"Making its way out?… what are you…" but Garfield was interrupted by a sudden explosion coming from the tower. When he looked up, he noticed on time the large pieces of debris free falling directly at them but Mento used his mental powers to avert the objects away from them. And there, coming from the whole the explosion had caused, were Raven and Meliah, fighting mid air. Raven using her dark energy and Meliah as a dragon, breathing fire, chasing after the empath. But to Garfield's horror, the dragon made a turn in the air and its tail lashed out and struck Raven on her stomach, sending her well into the water were she did not come out from while Cyborg used his sonic cannon at the flying reptile that was approaching fast for a second victim.


	36. Chapter 36

_**Hello everyone. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy this chapter.**_

* * *

**Chapter 36. Possession. **

Meliah was leaning against the wall of the elevator with her arms crossed over her chest, eyes closed. At some point she started to pinch the bridge of her nose and to massage her temples to alleviate the tension Mento's mental inquiry had left behind while Raven stood across the small area trying to give the other girl space.

"Gar told me he proposed, why didn't you say yes?"

The question took Raven by surprise. Meliah's tone and demeanor however were not at all friendly and she felt the need to defend herself "I've already decided I will, I just needed time… Why did you send Wally away?"

Meliah's eyes crystallized again against her better efforts to which Raven responded "My turn for a bold question" said in an expressionless monotone.

Meliah just raised an eyebrow but just said "Fair enough… he reminded me of Gar too much… and he will be ours even if we have to kill YOU! " Meliah said and a low growl escaped her as she grabbed her head and slide down against the wall. Raven was taken aback but instinctively raised her hands encased in her dark energy as the bell of the elevator rang signaling they had reached their destination.

But there, for a split second and a desperate whimper, Meliah's eyes went back to blue and managed to whisper "Raven… get out… I cant control her anymore…" and she screamed in pain and started to transform and getting bigger. Raven phased thru the doors before they opened and quickly raised a shield to protect her from a ball of fire sent her way.

Cyborg had been on the kitchen and got his cannon ready the moment he saw Raven lifting a shield to divert a fire ball that unfortunately was diverted where he was standing right against the cabinet where he kept the lighter fluid for when they had barbecues on the park. It exploded immediately causing the nearby windows to break and from the elevator they could hear the strain of the cables as they tried to hold the weight and out of the smoke a claw appeared as a growling sound made its way out, with a glowing chest ready to breath fire again.

Raven started to levitate backwards towards the broken window trying to contain the strange animal back with tendrils of dark energy but no matter how much she tried, there was no other way but to lure her out before it destroyed the rest of the tower, as well as no mistake on what she had turned into… a dragon that had vengeance in mind.

Once out, Raven tried again to contain her but once the dragon's body made it to the window, she spread her wings and followed her with great ease. It reminded her of another dragon she faced a few years ago. But the solution to that one in particular had been simple. This time, there was no spell to lure her away or trap her in a book. Instead, it occurred to Raven that perhaps instead of attacking from the outside, an inside approach might be the solution. The only problem was getting Meliah to calm down enough. But her line of thought was cut short the moment she realized something the moment she looked into her eyes.

Instead of the crystallized blue, there were shreds of black and red. _So there is a spell after all_. She thought to herself, but the distraction cost her dearly as she didn't see coming the tail that, with great force, slammed against her midsection, knocking the air out of her lungs and propelling her into the open ocean.

The dragon diverted its course and maneuvered around the sonic blasts coming her way. The base of her neck, glowing in anticipation of the incandescent fire building as Cyborg only had a few seconds to escape before he would be incinerated.

One way would be to retreat back inside in the hope of getting at least to the elevator before the fire reached him or jump off the tower and hope to land in one piece but as he thought this, his cybernetic mind was also making the calculations and got to the conclusion that he might be better off free falling out of the tower than to make a run for it, so, he decided to jump off the broken window instead and as he fell, tried to change the polarity of his cannon to use the sonic waves as a buffer and hopefully once he touched the ground, it wouldn't be as painful, but the dragon was fast and soon closed its mouth to put out the fire and arched its neck downward in pursuit of its pray.

The dragon was ready to breath fire again when out of the corner of her eye, saw a green cheetah running towards the water and decided to fly towards it instead. The dragon twisted its body in the air to change direction and make room for the massive wings and tail and roared the moment the feline jumped towards the water.

"BEAST BOY LOOK OUT!" Yelled Cyborg and the cheetah looked over his shoulders just in time for him to come to a screeching holt right before the dragon's tail slammed on the ground a few feet in front of him. The green cheetah roared and tried to jump over the spiked tail but a claw cut his path short. This enraged Beast Boy even more, because the longer he took, the fewer the chances Raven had to survive under water. He was not sure how long had it been but he thought it was way too long for his comfort. Meliah was really giving him hell, as if making him suffer for some reason. A reason he thought he had been forgiven for.

He had been willing to take on whatever punishment Meliah so fit for his lack of courage all those years ago but the mere thought of Raven having to pay the consequences with her life was unbearable. Fear and panic where rapidly subsiding, making way to rage. Letting the Beast take over was now his last resort. He glanced at the dragon again in search for a bit of human heart but only saw vengeance in the crystallized eyes as she tried once more to trap him in her claws.

So, he let The Beast take over as he realized with a heavy heart that his childhood friend, his sweet little Meliah was gone, and had been gone probably since that day he left her behind.

with a bone chilling cry, the Beast started to appear. Longer, heavier frame. Covered in a dark green fur. Jaw elongated to make room for sharper teeth. Claws that could easily rip the skin and the eyes lost the green orb and became cold, chilling white.

The Beast was faster and stronger but had never encounter anyone bigger than himself. The claw that had managed to get a hold of him was no match as the Beast, with all his strength, pried it open to free himself. But the scaly surface that was the dragon's skin proved to be a challenge. He bit and clawed his way to the back, in between the wings.

The dragon took off, trying to shake the other animal off her back but with every twist and turn she made, the Beast remained and tried to advance towards the neck.

From the ground, family and friend watched in horror. Mento and Rita had never seen Garfield turn into the Beast and although he had been far, they could tell it was of an impressive height.

"Steve, what is that? What's wrong with our Garfield?"

"That's the Beast. Beast Boy transforms into that every time he's really mad and Raven is in danger and right now is really pissed off" answered Cyborg while he pressed a few buttons on the panel of his left arm.

"Is he dangerous?" asked Rita not being able to look away from the Beast on the Dragon's back that was flying precariously closer to the ground.

"Only if you get on his way" said Cyborg.

Roars from either one could be heard. Fire illuminated the ground as the dragon tried and failed to fight him off.

"Garfield is still in there, but that… Beast is in full control right now" said Mento trying to push his powers and look into the Beast 's mind but he roared some more and almost lost balance. Rita gasped in horror as the Beast had fallen and was now hanging from the side on one of the wings while the dragon flapped them harder.

"Steve, stop! You're putting him in more danger than what he is. Right now he needs our help. We need to get to Raven before is too late"

"Your wife is right. I have a lock on Raven's communicator but is drifting deeper into the ocean"

"What about the dragon. That other entity has blocked me out completely, almost as good as Raven did and we cant leave our son alone to deal with her alone"

"Don't worry Mento I have the solution right here. I just need her to get closer…"

The dragon roared this time as the Beast had found a tender spot to bite into but in the jerked moves lost control and both fell on the ground. The Beast having more advantage on the ground, attacked the other animal regardless of its size and ventured to attack its wings the moment she made the attempt to fly again but suddenly, a blast of Cyborg's sonic cannon burn through its right wing and the dragon roared in pain and sharply turned its head just before another blast hit her in the chest. She flapped her wings to regain some stability but then her mind started to cloud and lose focus as she dangerously approached Cyborg who still had his arm outstretched, cannon humming in anticipation before being fired once more.

"Cyborg… are you sure that will work?" asked Mento while trying to concentrate on the massive animal closing in on them and making sure she was distracted enough with the help of his powers.

"Yeah!, I just need her… one… bit… closer…" he said as the dragon prepared to land, claws in front of her and her chest lighting up in sign of the fire being created when Cyborg fired his canon one more time, but instead on a sonic blast, it was a syringe that hit the animal straight on the chest. Fire dissipated mid air. Wings and tail disappeared and the massive body started to shrink into itself until just a human form fell limp on the sand.

The Beast had landed unceremoniously on the sand ready to attack again but as he saw the unconscious girl on the ground, he quickly turned the other way jumped from the rocks and turned into a sword fish and disappeared in the water just before Mento tried to pry into his mind again and Rita got too close.

Mento's connection with her mind was cut abruptly as the girl fell unconscious upon contact with the syringe. Cyborg was panting, eyes fixated on the fallen girl and slowly lowered his arm, turning his cannon back into his hand.

"I sense no mayor brain activity at the moment. She's dormant" said Mento,s stepping next to Cyborg to asses the situation.

"You mean she's in a coma… I have to take her to the medical bay immediately. The serum stopped her heart, if I don't re-start it soon she'll die" said Cyborg as he walked towards the girl and pick her up with the greatest of care then headed towards the main door in the tower with hasty steps.

"Cyborg, are you sure is safe… if she wakes up …" said Rita, with a worried tone and expression as she eyed the unconscious girl in his arms.

"Ma'am, all I can tell you is that is not her fault and don't worry, once her heart starts beating again, we'll keep her dormant until we find a solution. Besides, Beast Boy would never forgive me if I didn't do everything within my power to save her" Cyborg said as he hastily walk thru the door with Mento on his heels to make sure she wasn't awake and take them by surprise. When they got to the elevator, Mento realized his wife wasn't following but stayed by the door and gave her an inquisitive look.

"I'll wait for Garfield… I just hope he got to Raven on time" she said this quietly before turning around and run to the beach.

* * *

Beast Boy's head was spinning. He was swimming so fast, trying to focus on the direction at the same time as he tried to subside his panic and most of all, control his anger. He could feel the beast lurking at the very edge of his being, demanding release even though he understood that in a moment like this, his master would know better how to rescue his mate.

He swam in a straight line, keeping in mind the direction she had fallen. But the farther he went, the deeper the water got. He was afraid that in her unconsciousness, she would drown. He couldn't lose her now. Not when they finally had a future together.

After a quick glance around, he finally found her. There, close to the bottom, wrapped in her cloak as the pressure held it tight around her. She was barely conscious and quickly, he turned into a squid, tangled its tentacles around her and as quickly and carefully as he possibly could, he pushed her out to the surface. Once out, he turned into a whale and carried her on his back towards the shore where his adoptive mother was waiting anxiously.

Beast Boy turned back to his human form and quickly carried her to the sand, performed CPR and a few moments later, Raven started to cough and was finally able to breath. She made the attempt to sit but felt dizzy, her eyesight was partially blurred and was suddenly cold.

Carefully, Garfield lifted her to his chest while he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. There in the fast rhythm of his heart, which she found soothing and cozy, she close her eyes while his chin rested against her forehead, both softly sighing, basking in each other's warmth.

Rita had to admit it was a sweet sight. Garfield, the carefree jokester, had never been the possessive kind, but with Raven, she discovered a new side of her adoptive son she had never seen. As well as Raven. The powerful sorceress who's demonic heritage had kept her and her husband on edge at being so close to their son and yet, she was the one to bring Garfield to his knees and bring out the solemn, caring, responsible being that held her with such earnest as well as a wilder side that only sought to protect her.

Raven tried to forget about the panic and fear she had felt when underwater. When Meliah hit her, not only had she been thrown across the bay into the ocean but had also knocked the air out of her lungs and had no time to even tried to swim as her cloak wrapped around her small frame with every move she tried to make.

She had tried to use her powers but she needed to be able to speak in order for her magic to work and with hardly any air in her lungs, she was getting weaker and weaker. And started to drift in and out of unconsciousness. Her only thought was Garfield and how much she regretted not having spent more time with him. But he was there now. He had come for her and now there was no way she would let him go. It felt so right to be in his arms, listening to his heart beating and his soft breathing, but unfortunately, as she tried to enjoy this moment, she also remembered the reason he had to rescue her.

"Where is Meliah?" she asked as she tried to sit straight. Beast Boy locked eyes with her for a moment then looked behind her. That's when Raven realized they were not alone and his adoptive mother had been the entire time. A rosy color appeared on her cheeks regardless of the stoic expression, which Rita noticed but decided not to embarrass her further.

"Cyborg and Steve took her to the medical bay. She's alive but unconscious. Steve is trying to find out what's going on in her head but she had blocked him out somehow"

Beast Boy put squeezed her hand softly to get her attention "Rae, what happened? I know she was mad because of Mento but why did she attack you and Cyborg?"

"I'm not sure… I sensed something different about her since this morning but I couldn't tell what exactly. On the elevator she was as faraway from me as possible. I told her I could teleport out of there and meet her in the common room if she was uncomfortable but, she said no…but there is something else. She said she couldn't control _her_, anymore. Gar, I need to get inside her mind again. I might be able to help…"

"No Rae, she's out of control. There is no telling what's going on in her mind now. You saw how she reacted when Mento tried to read her mind, I cant imagine what she'll do if is you inside…"

"Gar, Meliah is still in there. Mento's powers are different from mine, I can get to a deeper level and help her control or even suppress her angry side…"

"But Rae…"

"Gar… she needs us and most of all she needs you to believe in her. Meliah is not gone, she's trapped within her own mind but unless she's conscious, her other personality cant take over"

Garfield said nothing more. A small speck of hope started to build in. if Raven was right , which she always was, then Meliah would be ok. The conflict however was great. There was no telling what lurked inside Meliah's mind that could stronger.

Raven was at risk and she knew it. If her suspicions were correct, her demonic presence would only trigger it further as any other demon could. But she had to try, for Meliah and specially him.

Rita and Garfield helped Raven to her feet. And slowly made their way inside the tower. They walked silently until they reached the common room. Garfield suggested that Raven at least rest a couple of hours before anything else. When she refused he had won the argument with the reasoning that her almost drowning had not been a laughing matter and that she needed all the strength she could only get when healed. Rita backed him up and even offered to accompany her to her room while Garfield inquired about his friend in the medical bay.

Although Raven never allowed anyone in her room other than Starfire, she didn't close the door and Rita took that as an invitation. Slowly , Rita entered and was on edge at the eeriness and other worldly atmosphere and looked around her with nervous glances at the figurines, statues and unknown artifacts that laid around the room. With little light coming from a candle that had come to life on its own.

"You do not have to stay if it makes you uncomfortable" said Raven from the book case on the wall without turning to the woman behind her.

"I'm sorry Raven. I didn't mean to be rude, I just… I have never met anyone like you." said Rita as she approached the bare dresser where the mirror laid face down.

"Its ok, most people haven't … Don't… touch the mirror… it will send you places you don't want to know about" Raven said as she made her way to her bed and started to look thru the book's pages.

"Dear, you need to rest. Garfield wont allow you to do anything unless …"

"Allow me?" said Raven in an icy tone with an arched eyebrow.

"… unless you are fully rested. I don't exactly know how will you do what you're planning but it must take a lot of energy from you. He wont forgive himself if something happens to you that he could have prevented"

"And that's the same reason behind my decision. Meliah was with his parents the day they died. He blames himself for that and more. I will do anything within my power to help her…"

Rita was now sitting on the bed next to Raven who had removed the hood of her cloak to give her visitor a less cold welcoming. But she wasn't sure it worked as Rita was still tense.

"I guess there is much more Steve and I didn't know about our boy. When we adopted him, we knew his parents had died and that he had endured a harsh time after that. We tried to make him feel as… welcomed and loved as we possibly could. Overtime he seemed to be better but now… I realize he was just trying to hide his pain but, thanks to you, he seems to have found a balance"

"I like to think so as well" said raven and Rita gave her a smile.

* * *

Garfield arrived at the medical bay and found Meliah in the same bed she had been before, but with more tubes and monitors. He walked slowly to her bed and carefully approached her. Removed one of his gloves and grabbed her hand. It was cold and limp. As if … he didn't dare to think of it.

"She's stable but the amount of meds I have to use to keep her like this is risky. I'm not familiar with her physiology but all I can say is that we need to find a solution soon. I don't know how long she can withstand the meds. I'm going by what my dad told me but… is not the same… sorry man, I just don't know what else to do"

"Is ok tin man, I know you're doing everything you can" said Garfield without looking away from the girl.

"How's Raven?" asked Mento coming to stand behind his son and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"She's good dad. In her room resting"

"You make me sound like some weak damsel in distress" said Raven as she entered the medical bay followed by Rita.

"I'm sorry son but she's more stubborn than you" said Rita coming to stand next to her husband while Garfield walked to his girlfriend and hugged her.

"Rae, I thought you were going to rest"

"I'm fine Gar, thanks to you" she said with a chaste kiss on the lips that made him smile. Even more when she blushed afterwards when Mento cleared his throat behind them.

"Raven, I understand you will attempt to enter her mind. I have been trying since she fell unconscious but she had blocked me out and the barriers remain"

"With all due respect Mento, but your powers are superficial. I can get deeper past the mental barrier but it will take some time"

"What do you mean Rae?" Asked Cyborg speaking for the first time since she arrived.

"The first time I entered her mind, I found myself in a series of landscapes and memories that I couldn't discern until… I had a glimpse of her true form."

"What do you mean true form"

"Gar, I'm sorry but… there is a demon taking over Meliah"


	37. Chapter 37

**_Hello everyone. So, there will be two parts to this chapter. This one might be a bit slow since the explanations required a lot of dialogue._**

**Second part however we'll discover more and have more action . Hope you guys like it. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 37. Exorcism 101. part 1**

"A demon?… so… are you planning to do an exorcism? Like those on the movies?" asked Garfield with an incredulous expression.

"Those are plain fictional and an exaggeration of true facts. Even if a human is capable of performing a purging, is not at all reliable. They might be able to separate the spirit from the human body but they are powerless as to what to do with it afterwards. The outside purging can be mentally and physically stressful for the victim resulting on serious complications with minimal damage to the demon."

"Even if the spirit is weaken and unable to fight its way inside a new host, it can only manage to go back to the original host as both are vulnerable and remains dormant until is strong enough again. By then however, the victim is already mentally ill and any, if not every one of their actions are attributed to that fact. A demon's host is usually not aware of its existence, but, what we thought was a case of enhanced Multiple Personality Disorder was really a demon's side. Her powers however allowed her to acknowledge the other entity, just like you with the Beast"

Garfield's eyes went wide open "So you're saying the Beast is a demon… I'm possessed?" he said with some desperation.

"No. your case is the result of a mutation between your already altered DNA with an outside altered substance. An enhancement of the basic instincts of all the animals you can transform into. But just like you, Meliah adapts her entire being to accommodate the animals in mind to follow instincts. That's how she's been able to survive in the jungle."

There was silence while everyone pondered on Raven's words when Robin's voice was heard loud and clear from the main computer. Cyborg brought the screen to life to show their leader's face as well as Starfire's. With headphones and a microphone over their heads, in what seemed to be the cockpit of a plane.

"Titans, report! Is everyone alright?"

"Almost everyone dude" said Garfield nodding towards his unconscious friend.

"I'm sorry Beast Boy. Any idea what happened?"

"There is a demon trying to take over Meliah" answered Raven in a emotionless monotone while going thru the pages on the book she brought from her room while the Daytons seemed confused at the tone and demeanor the empath had adopted in the seriousness of their present situation. Then, Raven looked up at the screen and noticed their background.

"Where are you Robin?"

"We're on our way back. Cyborg called us a few minutes ago and told us about Meliah's transformation and the attack. We should be there in less that two hours"

"Friend Beast Boy, I see your former team has joined you in this troubled times. How are you Mento and Elasti-girl?" said Starfire, showing on the other half of the screen with a welcoming smile.

"A bit shaken up by what just happened dear, but we're fine" answered Rita. Mento had a somewhat sour expression, eyes closed and arms folded over his chest, listening to their conversation. But Starfire's optimistic tone brought him to the edge of his patience. _doesn't she understand the kind of predicament we are all in right now?._ Mento thought to himself.

"That's how Starfire deals with stressful situations" answered Raven simply to his self questioning. When Mento opened his eyes in surprise at her unexpected answer, she lifted her gaze from the book and continued. "I'm an empath Mento. I can sense what you're feeling and your annoyance towards Starfire's optimism is unnecessary"

Mento narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He glanced at Beast Boy but the changeling was too distracted with Cyborg at the console where Meliah's vital readings were displayed that he almost completely missed their conversation.

"We have more important matters at hand" Said Mento after clearing his throat.

"Mento is right. Raven, what can you tell us about the demon inside Meliah's mind?" asked Robin trying to dissipate the obvious tension growing

"Is a parasite. That kind of demon cannot survive without a host and usually settles in the deepest part of their host's psyche. Depending how strong the host is, is how strong the demon can be and in Meliah's case, her powers acted as the mutant agent that merged the two, allowing her to be aware of another entity within her mind"

"So, is Meliah aware of her condition?" Asked Rita, still unsettled by the situation.

"No. For all she knows, she suffers from a case of Multiple Personality Disorder as the entity resembles her image"

"Like your emotions?" asked Cyborg with an arched brow

"No. what you've seen is a mental representation of the different sides of my personality, but each one is limited to their specific boundaries and their line of thought is restricted by those parameters. The demon inside her is n entirely independent entity from her own emotions. But draws strength from her more stronger ones like fear or rage"

"But she can interact with it just like you can with your emotions" Said Garfield from the main panel where he had been with Cyborg.

"How do you know?" asked Raven with a frown.

"I've seen it. She was able to control when to bring her out. She was aggressive, but Meliah was able to restrain her until Alec came after her" Garfield said remembering the time when he and Meliah had flown out of the tower on the shore across the island after she had wrapped her legs around him in front of Raven in an emotional spur of the moment.

"Friend Raven, have you any idea how did Meliah acquired this demon?" asked Starfire with a more serious expression.

"More likely a ritual that is often misinterpreted. Is in an ancient language that hardly anyone nowadays knows how to translate. The few that have been able to, have misunderstood the meaning and the order of the words"

"If the incantation is misunderstood, what is the original purpose of this ritual?" asked Mento.

"Purging. Purifying of the soul. Whoever tried to perform this must have thought her shape shifting was some kind of evil, but instead of a cleansing, they created a portal from another realm directly into her mind"

"No offense Raven, but other than people like you, who else can have interest in such rituals?" asked Rita.

"Mom!" admonished Garfield with a frown to his adoptive mother .

"Its Ok Gar, is a valid question…" she said to Garfield with a soft expression. She couldn't help but be grateful and happy that he was so protective of her, even if the offender was his own adoptive family. "Voodoo clans…" she continued, this time addressing Rita. "their obsession with demons able to control human beings makes them go to extreme measures to understand the mechanics of possessions. Even if it means performing the rituals and casting spells they don't fully understand"

"But who has performed the ritual?… the savages that tortured her all those years?" asked Cyborg.

"I don't think so Cy. Those were mercenaries that tried to take advantage of her abilities and relied on technology to make her comply." said Robin.

"Garfield , what about those tribes in Africa you and Meliah grew up with. Might they be at fault?" asked Mento.

"No, they are peaceful people with traditions and their own beliefs of good and evil, they would never resort to rituals and incantations. And even though our parents were people of science, they were respectful of their culture. If they would have had the slightest notion of that kind of dark beliefs, then they would have never allowed us near them" said Garfield with a slight annoyance at the indirect accusation Mento had tried to imply, but when he saw his adoptive father narrow his eyes and glance at Raven with an almost there smile, his blood boiled and could barely contain his anger.

"And before you say or think that my parents would never accept Raven, let me tell you you're very much mistaken Mento. Because they were not narrow minded and would have seen the good in her even if they knew what she's capable of doing. So don't give her that look!"

After an awkward silence, another voice was heard " What about the monk that rescued Meliah and Beast Boy's mother from the wreckage… surely a guy like that traveling alone is up to no good"

"Is that from experience Red X?" asked Raven just as surprised as Garfield and Cyborg nearby.

"I'm wounded beautiful, here I am trying to help resolve this mystery and you don't even appreciate my input in the matter" said Red X playfully, finally appearing on a third panel on the screen.

"Red X!, why are you still around. This doesn't concern you anymore" said Beast Boy while he walked next to Raven and placed a hand on her waist. The thief only chuckled at the gesture.

"Well _Garfield_… the hottie next to you made me promise to help with this case as part of the deal before I was released from her… enchantment and as far as I'm concerned, this is still part of it" Beast Boy let out a low growl that Raven heard.

"Gar, don't mind him, he's just trying to get under your skin, besides, he's right. The deal is still not fulfilled" said Raven while she placed a hand on Garfield's chest.

"Beast Boy, we'll talk about Red X later, right now we need to get to the bottom of this. Cyborg… How is Meliah doing?"

Cyborg was running another scan on Meliah to make sure the excessive amount of meds were not damaging her already battered system. "Stable at the moment but at this rate, she'll be done burning the meds in no time so I'll suggest y'all to come up with something quick"

"How much longer do we have with those meds Cy?" asked Robin.

"hmmm, three hours tops, but I'll say two just in case"

"Alright then. We'll arrive in about fifteen minutes. Raven, can you get everything you need ready and wait until we get there?"

Raven started to answer but Mento interrupted "So Raven, you said you can go deeper past her mental barriers. How do you pretend to do that?"

"My soul self will travel to the deepest part of her psyche, find the demon and purge her mind from it" said Raven, unaffected by the tone of his questioning.

Cyborg came walking closer to his friends with a serious expression. "So there is no incantation or spell you can perform from out here?'

"Not if we want that demon gone for good" Raven said.

"Are there any risks to either of you?" asked Garfield quietly, still holding on to her.

"There is some risk. If the demon is too strong to keep contained within her barriers until I can open a portal and send it away, I would have to bring it out so the process wouldn't hurt Meliah further"

"Can that happen?" asked Rita.

"Is very possible. My being a half demon myself causes a certain… instability"

"Like her reaction every time you were nearby?" asked Cyborg.

"Yes"

"So what we were seeing was that demon, not her animal instinct?" asked Starfire.

"Actually it was a combination of both. Demons are angry by nature as well as territorial. Her animal instincts just enhanced that"

"So, if it's a demon like you…" started Red X gaining deadly glares from Beast Boy and Cyborg.

"Is not like me. This kind is a spirit demon. A parasite. They can only survive within a host. Once out, it will be easier to send to another realm"

"Raven, we'll be landing in two minutes. Robin out"

Raven walked towards Meliah's head and placed both hands on the girl's temples. Closed her eyes and chanted her mantra softly while the others observed. Garfield walked behind her and whispered in her ear. "Babe, are you sure there is no other way?" while he placed his hands around her waist. She arched an eyebrow and how intimate the moment was, then she removed her hands from Meliah's temples and placed them over his hands and looked over her shoulder. He was resting his chin on her shoulder and their noses touched slightly as he placed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.

_When did he grow to be this charming?_ she thought to herself with slight amusement. "Gar, I was trained to do this kinds of things. You have nothing to worry about"

From across the room, Mento and Rita took glances at the young couple "I don't know about this Rita, these are all kids, and I'm afraid they are dealing with something bigger than what they can handle and our son is right in the middle of it"

"Steve, you have to give them more credit than that. They've had their share of experience and success. They defeated the Brotherhood of Evil when it took us years to even track them down"

"Is not only that Rita. I'm not so sure I trust either one of those girls. Both with demonic exposure. I don't think Garfield has thought things thru"

"Well, neither girl is at fault Steve. One was a victim, the other one was born that way, but regardless of anything we know, we have to help them. If not for them, do it for Garfield." when he gave her a quizzical look, she continued. "Look, these two girls are important to him Steve. Meliah represents his past. A past he thought was lost along with his parents and Raven is his present and future. Or are you going to tell me you didn't notice?… Put yourself in his shoes for once Steve, and tell me, wouldn't you do the same for them?"

"Rita, Garfield is not…"

"Garfield is not what Steve? You have always been hard on him and don't know when to stop being a leader"

"What do you mean Rita?"

"You're a great leader Steve, but what Garfield has always needed is a father and that's the last thing he can say about you… or me for that matter."

"Everything I've done is for him to learn how to be a man, how to take responsibility. Build a stronger character"

"Steve, what you don't realize is that he became a man the moment he decided to leave us. The moment he decided to find his own way, his own team and his own family since he couldn't find it with us"

"Rita, that's not what I …"

"It was a blessing when he came to us and even though I didn't give birth to him, I love him as if I did. But you drove him away and now I've had enough. If you're not going to help our son, I will. Even if I have to go over your head" Rita whisper the last few words with such anger that he felt ashamed, because deep down he knew she was right.

"Rita wait!" he said and grabbed her arm before she turned away. "I'll make it right, I promise" and then placed a kiss on her forehead and walked towards the young couple that were now talking in whispers, in very close proximity then cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Raven, if there is anything I can assist you with, don't hesitate and ask"

"You want to help" asked Garfield crossing his arms over his chest with a frown. Sarcasm seeping thru each word.

"Son, I know you're upset. I can only say I'm sorry and I honestly want to help" Garfield gave him an incredulous look. "I have also come to realize these two women are just as important to you as you are to us and if a battle with a demon is in order to achieve your happiness and well being , then so be it"

Raven could sense Garfield's mixed feelings. A combination of trust and mistrust and he didn't know which one to choose from. But she placed a hand on his forearm and softly squeezed it. Garfield turned to her still with a frown but the moment he saw her soft eyes and a barely there smile, he soften his features and smiled at her, then turned to his adoptive father who had noticed the exchange and could only think of one person that had the same effect on him, Rita.

"Cool. Thank you dad" said Garfield with a smile and Mento couldn't help smile himself because this was the first time Garfield had called him dad.

The tender father-son moment was past the moment Starfire flew in, followed by Robin and Red X.

"Raven, is everything ready?" asked Robin as soon as he walked in.

"Yes… Mento, I will get thru the mental barriers and lure the demon out. Once is out, I need you to reconstruct the barriers and keep Meliah's mind locked"

"You do realize that if I lock her mind, her brain and other organs will shut down and put her in a coma"

"I'm counting on it. If the mind is dormant, there will be no other place for it to hide. But focus on her mind only. If you even acknowledge the demon, it can take advantage of the link between your and her mind and invade yours as a way of escape from me. But if there is the slightest chance that the demon targets you, then you need to cut any connection to her mind to protect yours."

"What would happen with Meliah if that was the case?" asked Cyborg.

"It would be a lot harder to pinpoint the demon's location because by then, Meliah will be awake. Cyborg, Robin… you two need to keep an eye on her vitals, the moment she goes in a coma, she needs to be intubated immediately and once the demon is contained and exiled, her metabolism might change rhythm, so watch for the amount of meds. Starfire and Rita, ake sure Meliah does not come out of this bed. If she has to be forced to remain down then do what you have to. Beast Boy and Red X, stay by her side. The moment she wakes up she'll be either too scared or very enraged. Because eve though the dragon was an involuntary change, she might be able to do it again and hold it on her own. Either way, you two are the only ones she will trust then… ready everybody?"

Raven looked at everyone and they all nodded their agreement and understanding. Then, everyone assumed their respective positions. Garfield stopped by next to her and placed a tender kiss on her lips and whispered "Be careful, I love you". And moved to her left.

"Be careful beautiful, I'm right here if you need me" said Red X, stepping on her right side while Garfield glared. Raven looked from one to the other and was sure under that mask, the thief was smirking. "Idiots" she mumbled under her breath before resuming her position at Meliah's head, fingers on the girl's temples but the moment she started to chant her mantra, a shot of electricity run thru her fingers causing a grunt of pain escape her lips and her eyes to close tight. But the moment she reopened them, they were glowing white and in an eerie voice said "Mento, now!"

Everything was going according to plan, until…

"RAVEN, LOOK OUT!" yelled Mento and with a shock, both Mento and Raven were thrown back. Beast Boy who was closer to the empath, caught her before she hit the floor but her body was limp and Meliah's heart rate went flat.

"MENTO, WHAT HAPPENED?!" yelled Garfield. Desperation evident.

Panting, with barely any pause for exhaling, Mento said "They vanished… all three of them are gone!"


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38. Exorcism 101. Part two.**

It was as bright as dawn over the isolated terrain and everywhere Raven looked, there was fog in an eerie crawl of patches of dead grass. It wasn't cold or humid to explain the condensation and there were silhouettes of trees as far as she could see, then suddenly, she noticed a dead silence. The lack of noise she had not been aware of before was unsettling and more so was the fact that every one of her moves was a blur. Either too fast or too slow, hard to tell. After all, it was the first time she was in someone else's mind landscape that resembled her own

Hood over her head, she kept on walking until up ahead, amidst the fog, a figure moved. She stopped her tracks and tried to use her powers to sense her surroundings, not wanting to fall into a trap, but her powers found a dead end, so she figured, the mental barriers must be up ahead, but again, every step she gave, a blur in space seemed to encase her and found herself a mere short feet away from her target in the blink of an eye.

In front of her was a crystal wall of broken glass, very much resembling Meliah's eyes, but as Raven looked left, right and up, she got to the conclusion that it was hard to tell how tall or wide it was due to the fog, but on closer inspection, she could tell it was thick, of no particular color, but as she tried to discern what was on the other side, the silhouette suddenly appeared in front of her, banging with muffled sounds at the barrier making Raven jumped in surprise. But the moment she backed up, the figure on the other side shifted into what could only be a T-Rex. Swinging its tale at something behind it then with a louder muffled sound, slammed its tale at the barrier that didn't even shake at the aggression.

Wide eyed, Raven let a small gasp escape her lips at what she saw and whispered to herself "Meliah!" and just as quickly, placed her hands on the glass while chanting her mantra, her hands started to glow in her dark energy and after a few moments, she heard the crystal rumble and the distinctive noise of glass cracking open was heard. Soon, a great portion of the wall was encased and with a grunt of effort, it broke, and as the pieces fell, Raven caught a glimpse of whatever it was attacking Meliah before it dissipated in dark smoke along with the remaining of the broken wall.

Meliah, at seeing her attacker disappear, returned to her human form and noticed Raven approaching slowly and without restrain, run to her and hugged her.

"Raven! You're here… I'm so glad you're ok… I'm sorry, I really am, I could see what we were doing but couldn't stopped her… I'm sorry…"

Raven patted her awkwardly on the back while saying " It's ok". Slowly, she pushed her back to get a better look at Meliah. The scars on her face were a bit more prominent, and other scratches on her arms and legs were of disturbing nature.

"Gar has very sharp teeth" Meliah said after noticing Raven's scrutiny.

"Any idea where did it go?" asked Raven, looking at their surroundings. The fog was still as thick as before.

"I don't know. I haven't been able to see much since I woke up. How are we going to get out of here?"

"First we need to find it and contain it. We don't want it go jump to another mind and hide until is too late" said Raven in her monotone while lifting her hands encased in her dark energy, trying to find another barrier of some kind.

"Another mind? You mean, like yours?"

"…yes" said Raven quietly and stopped in front of Meliah. "There is no telling what it would be able to do if it gets inside my head. My powers are… much too dangerous"

Meliah thought for a minute while Raven resumed her walking, this time Meliah followed. "But Raven, I thought that was not possible, you're a demon already."

"Just half… the other half is still human. I'm just as vulnerable as you are" said Raven before stopping. She had noticed Meliah hide a smile but said nothing. Then, a few feet in front of them, a swirl of dark smoke started to appear. Raven stopped on her tracks and motioned Meliah to come closer while the figure regained solidity. A dark silhouette tried to make its way towards them as if in slow motion. The blurred movements prevented the empath to focus on one point.

"Raven!" said the figure in a muffled voice. Suddenly, Raven's eyes stared to glow white and while a barrier of dark energy formed around her and Meliah, she called on Mento, who's presence was immediately known.

Mento's mental barriers started to build from the fog as if crystallizing into solid ice. Inside, the silhouette fell, and thru the thick ice, Meliah's figure was propping herself up on her elbows while Raven's arm extended, hands outstretched she turned and as she did, commanded the dark barrier to shrink around the Meliah next to her.

With a shriek, the girl fell with a thud then tried to free herself. Her eyes crystallized blue and tried to transform, but Raven's tendrils of magic bore into her skin tighter.

"Did you really think I was going to fall for that?" asked Raven, looking down at the now disfigured girl, struggling to get free, growling at the same time. Then Raven turned towards the real Meliah inside the ice barrier when a shrill, evil laugh resonated behind her.

"So the daughter of Trigon the Terrible has a soft spot for these weak humans. Hello Raven" said the entity. Who now was free of Raven's magic tendril. It still looked like Meliah except her eyes were pitch black. "You know Raven. It is such a shame you're wasting your time with that green idiot when Meliah and I have made him ours way before…" the entity said, walking sensuously in front of Raven who's eyes were wide in surprise.

"You're lying!"

"Am I now…you don't believe me? Ask Meliah over there" she taunted.

" Is not what you think Raven. Don't listen to her…" said Meliah, finally able to get up from the ground and pressing her hands against the glass barrier.

"Well, let's Raven be the judge of that… shall we?" said the entity and with a wave of her hand, a blurred image appeared from the fog. Meliah fell on her knees as she grabbed her head and grunted in discomfort while the entity extracted the memories from her subconscious.

An image from an stand up point of view, lowered herself to a sleeping Garfield, then positioned herself over his lower midsection and the unmistakable bounce commenced. Garfield was moaning and breathing fast and hard as well as a worked up Meliah who's voice was heard softly along their ragged breathing.

"…that's it Gar… a little more… you can do it…" Meliah moaned in the background while hitting Garfield's chest. His head thrown back as the moans and grunt noises he made kept getting louder until at last, the sound of release achieved, panting and Meliah's words "I knew…you were not… going to disappoint…me…" she said in between ragged breaths. Then the image dissipated in the fog.

Raven was horrified. She knew about Meliah's crush on Garfield. She could sense it every time the three were in close proximity, but for Meliah to have gone this far, was more painful that what she ever cared to admit. She turned to the real Meliah inside the crystal barrier, searching for a sign that what she had just seen was a made up memory of the demon's twisted mind, but all she found was the girl's sad, guilty expression. Looking down to the ground with her arms wrapped around herself.

"Is not what you think…" Meliah repeated softly.

"Oh but it was satisfying, trust me Raven, I was there as well" taunted the demon with a smirk on her face.

Raven narrowed her eyes and her eyes started to glow red. The demon started to laugh once more "Yes! That rage is so satisfying… I cant wait to taste it myself…"

"As you wish …" said Raven in a gutural voice, with a smile that sent shivers thru Mento's mental connection with Meliah, who was also surprise at the change of atmosphere around Raven.

Raven's hands were encase in bubbles of dark energy bigger than her head and started to throw beams of dark magic that were pulverizing whatever they touched as the demon avoided each blow. Finally one caught up with the entity, throwing it across the field, making marks on the ground with the force inflicted.

Then, Raven turned around, an extra set of glowing red eyes had made its presence and Meliah gasped and backed up away from the enraged demoness, but the glass barrier was too narrow for her to go too far and was stopped by the cold surface on her back. The Raven in front of her stopped mere inches away from the barrier while smiling evilly at her.

"You and I have much to discuss… Meliah" said Raven thru gritted teeth with an even more cynical smile. Deep inside, Meliah was glad for the barrier that soon was encased in a dark aura and the girl felt the chaffing cold of revenge directed at her.

But, out of the corner of her eye, far behind the enraged demoness, the other demon approached fast. Tentacles spiraling around and daggers made out of ice flew ahead straight for the empath while the demon headed straight for Mento's open mental link.

Raven evaded evaded a large amount of the daggers but many found their way to the crystal barrier, almost breaking it on impact. Raven turned hastily and yelled "Mento, GET OUT!" but there was immediate response, and on seeing his hesitance, she severed the link, breaking Meliah free. "MENTO…MY MIRROR!"

"RAVEN, LOOK OUT!" Mento yelled as Raven turned and with a blast of her dark energy, encased Meliah and herself, along with the demon that was about to reach out for Mento and then disappeared into a dark hole.

…

…

Back in the medical bay, Garfield had just caught Raven from hitting the floor. "MENTO, WHAT HAPPENED?" he asked with evident desperation. At the same time that the heart monitor was signaling a flat line on Meliah. Cyborg and Robin rushed to the girl and started to quickly resuscitate her. Heart slowly started to beat while they inserted a tube down her throat to help he breath.

All the while Mento was being assisted to his feet by Rita. Panting, with barely any pause for exhaling, Mento said "They vanished… all three of them are gone"

"What do you mean gone? What happened?" asked Garfield.

"They disappeared in a dark hole. Raven took Meliah and that demon with her. But there is something else. Raven was not herself, with two sets of red glowing eyes, she sent me away…"

"Did she say anything?" asked Red X, coming around and knelt on Raven's other side while Garfield held her.

"It didn't make sense, but all she mentioned was… her mirror?"

Garfield's head snapped up and gasped. "X, hold Raven for me…" he said and carefully placed the unconscious girl on the thief's arms while still on the floor and took off running.

"Garfield!, where are you going!?" asked Rita.

"I know where she took them… I'll be right back…" he said as he exited the room, leaving everyone with surprised and curious looks among them.

Garfield turned into a cheetah, avoiding the elevator and skidding across the hallways on each turn he took until he found his destination. Unable to stop his tracks on the slippery floor, he decided to use his momentum and turned into a rhino just before he slammed into the door, causing it to break off its track as pieces of debris fell around him. Once inside, he turned back human and went straight to the dresser where he knew the mirror could be.

He found it after he opened the first drawer with a triumphant "Yes!" and carefully grabbed it by the handle, making sure he turned it away from himself. With a strong grip he carried it back to the med bay, running as fast as he could, careful enough not to break it. When he stepped inside the room, Red x was placing Raven on the bed she had occupied only a few days ago with Starfire's assistance. Mento was shaking his head as if trying to come out of the daze with Rita next to him.

Cyborg and Robin had finished tending to Meliah and were calibrating the intake of meds on the girl's IV.

Garfield came to stand next to Red X and took Raven's hand in his and placed a soft kiss on it, then he bent to her ear and whispered "I'm coming babe" right before he placed a kiss on her cheek. Then straighten up and carefully placed the mirror facing up on the bed next to her which glinted on the surface lightly, regardless of the lack of moving lights around.

The thief immediately distrusted the artifact and took a couple of steps back. "Are you sure you know how to use that thing kid?" he said while looking at the mirror. Everyone else turned their way and see what was the changeling planning. Cyborg however was not too keen of the idea.

"B, this is not the moment to play "let's see what Raven is thinking". You and I know that thing is dangerous"

"I don't care tin man, she needs me and that's exactly how I plan to do it"

"How is the mirror going to help Raven kid?" asked the thief before Garfield approached the mirror on the bed.

"This is where Raven took Meliah and the demon… to her mind and right now they need me. So either you come and help or stay out of my way" without waiting for a response, Garfield approached the mirror and with a mysterious glint, a reddish shadow emerged from it and enveloped the changeling, pulling him into its depths.

Rita gasped loudly followed by Starfire who had never seen such oddity. Cyborg just shook his head softly and mumbled to himself "Oh man" while Robin looked silently astonished, then glanced at the thief who had not looked away from the mirror. Then he turned to look at Raven and softly run a finger on her jaw line and said to himself "Looks like fun" and walked towards the mirror.

"Michael wait!" said Starfire the moment the shadow took Red X. "See you later kids" he said before disappearing into the magical portal.

…

…

The ride had been familiar. Much like teleporting with Raven before, but this time without a safe way of landing. When he got up, sore from the fall, he looked around at his surroundings. Black, starless skies, with floating boulders around. Not an exact landscape but there were mountains of some kind at a distance.

He started to walk towards the edge, trying to find a way to the next boulder, but as soon as he took the first step, the smaller floating rocks began to come together to form a path in front of him. He looked with suspicion and slowly tried his way, testing each step to make sure the makeshift surface was steady enough. After a couple of steps, he saw at a distance what seemed to be an explosion, just beyond the mountains he had seen earlier. He started to run and once he reached the bottom, realized he was far away from action.

He figured, Beast Boy had just turned into some kind of bird and flew over there, but in his case, he had to run. But a muffled gasp got his attention. He got one of his rubbery exes ready to attack whoever was stalking him and cautiously walked around the rock. And there, hiding in the crook of the boulder was Raven. Cowering under her cloak at the sight of him.

"Raven?" he said with plain surprise and immediately put away his weapons once he noticed her distress. But the Raven in front of him whimpered a little then run to him and wrapped her arms around his midsection. This took him by surprise. Never had he seen Raven so vulnerable. And as she buried her face on his chest she said "X! I'm so glad you came…" then she let go of the thief who was still too shocked to answer "quickly, come with me. Garfield and Raven need your help" she said while pulling him by his right arm.

"Whoa, whoa beautiful. I'll go wherever you want me to but…. Did you just say Garfield and **Raven**… need my help?" she let go of his arm and blushed at his remark. Then more quietly she said "Please X, just… follow me…"

He definitely had never seen this blushing side of the demoness and for some reason, he liked it. So, he came closer and took her hand "Take me wherever you want me to go beautiful… I'm all yours" Timid couldn't stop blushing but let him take her hand while he came closer and from beneath them, she created a dark disk that levitated them both and flew them at high speed.

The thief took the opportunity to pull her closer and noticed for the first time the color of her cloak. A light grey he had never seen on her. However, before he had the chance to questioned her about it, they had come over the mountain top and what he saw was both incredible and unbelievable.

A monster with no specific form but a kaleidoscope of several animals that continually changed position attacking mercilessly at the two changelings and Raven … no, two… three Ravens… all in different color cloaks. All with glowing white eyes, except for the one in red, her eyes were red as well.

All throwing tendrils of their dark energy at the monster who used tentacles to defend itself and fend off their attacks. At some point, one of the Ravens was thrown close by. She was dusting off her green cape and smiled when she looked up. "Hey X!, ready to join the fun?.. Hey Timid, lets go, Raven needs us!"

"I rather stay here with… " Timid started to say while backing away from the other emotion.

"Nonsense! Is fun. We're just playing a bit… Come X, we are in dire help of those sweet moves you got" and then she turned around and took off towards the monster again, black sword in hand.

For a moment, the thief couldn't take his eyes away from the other girl, then back at the one next to him. "We'll explain everything later…now go… please" Red X just nodded and started to run towards the confrontation, weapons ready.

Garfield had turned into a rhino and Meliah into a T-rex trying to distract the demon while Raven cast the spell when Red X appeared and threw a smoke grenade before he jumped thru it and with bo staff in hand attacked the monster directly on what could be the head but it switched positions again and this time he was headed directly to serrated teeth.

"Red X Look out!" yelled Meliah and transform into a pterodactyl and caught him mid air, but the thief was not a fool and had thrown a rubbery x to close the mandibles to avoid his impending doom.

"Good, you're here. Distract it as much as possible, I need to cast the spell before it tries to possess someone else's mind" said a familiar monotone behind him. The girl with the dark blue cloak was a more familiar face than the other ones he had encountered and he smiled behind his mask when he saw she was indeed ok.

Then the monster took a human form and started to chuckle at the sight. "hmmmm, so much to choose from. Another changeling, a half demon and a criminal mind… so tempting" she said while walking towards them, assessing her prey.

"Gar, X… let her get to me, I need her as close as possible for the spell to work"

"I'm not letting that thing close to you Rae"

"Gar, trust me ok? X, make sure to protect Meliah, she's still weak… I'll do the rest."

"I think I'll go for the demoness… ah, such a tease your powers have been. The thrill of your powers are just too irresistible… besides, I rather have my way with Garfield. I don't think it would be as much fun if I'm inside him when I can enjoy him better while he's inside **me**…" continued the demon. Looking from one to the other, ignoring completely Raven's emotions scattered around.

"That's it!" said Raven and stepped forward. "You want me? Take your best shot… just don't complain later" said Raven taunting the demon closer.

"Raven, why are you using yourself as bait?" whispered the thief angrily. But she cut him off "Take care of Meliah, X, I know what I'm doing"

The thief lingered for a few more seconds then moved towards the female changeling who was a few feet away from them in a fighting stance. Garfield was not too far, watching the demons every move.

The demon took the challenge and charged towards Raven and right before the demon was being consumed by them, and just like ter her mistress and awaited eagerly for her own prey. This time Raven had four red glowing eyes and as the demon got closer, she could feel the rage the invaded the empath.

"Yes, yes. I can feel it. The power, the energy flowing thru me. I'll have the power to travel thru dimensions… I'll be invincible … I'll be…. What's… what's happening… what are you doing…." asked the demon in a panic voice. Because instead of feeling the thrill of the powers, the vacuum of the vortex that surrounded Raven was consuming her mercilessly.

Raven, now Rage, had a demonic smile that sent shivers to everyone around her. The demon now struggling to get free but couldn't escape. Raven started to laugh and said in an other worldly voice "Exorcism 101, lesson one… a spirit demon cannot possess another demon of higher status…"

"But you're half human, I should be able to possess you as well" said the creature in a shrill voice.

"Ah, which brings us to lesson number two. A half demon is only half by appearance but a demon never the less and lesson three, before you ask… A real demon's rage will consume you into oblivion, so now… you're mine!" Rave said the last with a lower, deeper voice while the lesser demon cried out until it disappeared and there was only silence.

…

…

Raven turned to Meliah who was tightly embraced by the thief as the vortex had unleashed a kind of tornado that threatened to suck everything in, just like the demon had been.

She approached the female changeling and grabbed her by the throat and lifted her in the air "Now, tell me… how dare you …"

"Raven, no.. what are you doing" said Garfield while running towards them. But Rage stopped him on his tracks and pinned him down on the ground and said "you and I will talk after I take care of this hussy" she said and tighten her grim on the other girl's throat tighter. Meliah tried to pry the fingers off her throat while Red X approached them carefully.

"h-he…doessssn…'t know" Meliah tried to say over and over until Raven heard her. The empath narrowed her four glowing eyes at the girl and said "That… is hard to believe bitch!. I heard him just as well as I heard you" but her grip was so tight that Meliah couldn't breath anymore and her eyes were rolling back.

…

…

In the med bay, the monitors started to flash warnings. Meliah was chocking, eyes rolling back, hands trembling.

…

…

"Raven STOP! PLEASE!" begged Garfield from his spot on the ground, unable to get up.

"Raven.. Look at me… you are not going to kill her…" said Red X, approaching cautiously.

"Watch me" said the voice again.

"RED STOP! LET HER EXPLAIN" yelled another Raven in yellow approaching fast followed closely by a pink, a purple and a grey cloaked girls. The one in green was already trying to get her away from Meliah.

"Fine!" seethed the one in red and dropped Meliah on the ground without remorse. Red X quickly grabbed her to make sure she was still alive and a sigh of relief escaped him when she started coughing. "Explain.. Now!" demanded Rage.

With a hoarse voice, Meliah answered. "He doesn't know. He was unconscious when it happened. I had to do something or he would have died" she said while shyly looking over at Garfield on the ground not too far fro her.

"M, what are you talking about. What does Rage want to know?"

Meliah took a shaky breath and answered him. Not able to meet his eyes.

"Gar, remember when we were trapped in that metal cage… when Alec shot the darts at us?… well, what you felt was the reaction to an overdose of adrenaline and Viagra. Your heart started to beat too fast and without release, it would have exploded… you would have died…"

"What was the antidote M?, he said you knew it. You made me promise not to ask when I woke up but I've always been curious"

"Well, since you could transform to burn the drug I had to… I had to…"

"Say it already!" demanded Rage with disgust.

After a few deep breaths, Meliah finally answered "I had to make you have an orgasm. That was the only way for you to release the extra energy and calmed your heart rate. That's why it hurt so much during and afterwards." she said quietly. Silence reigned while everyone understood the meaning.

Garfield was in shock. He remembered her pained and shameful expression the time he woke up. He barely remembered what had happened before but the pain in his lower midsection had been very much real, even hours after.

Rage and Raven separated, leaving an exhausted Raven panting as well as Rage from the exertion but mostly for what they had just learned. The tendrils holding Garfield down to the ground disappeared and slowly he got up and carefully approached them. Raven's eyes had tears of anger that she tried to hide an quickly moved towards Meliah and placed her right hand over the girl's head, chanted her mantra with her eyes closed and after a few seconds of concentration, found the memory. And saw it all, from the moment they had been thrown into the cage until the moment he fell back, barely breathing due to the effects of the darts. Pale and sweating she was as afraid as Meliah had been at that moment and realized how close of dying Garfield had been. She let go of her, not been able to watch what happened next a second time and then turned to him and hugged him fiercely. All of Raven's emotions followed suit as they had seen the images as well.

Red X had picked up Meliah and carried her to a nearby rock and waited until she settled down. He also watched in amusement how the other Ravens smothered the green changeling. Except for the one in yellow and another one in dark blue who just watched emotionless. Meliah just watched, letting the strange air around her dry her tears.

While Red X watched, Timid came behind him and softly tugged on his cape. When he turned, saw the shy girl and smiled to himself. "What is it beautiful… cant get enough of me?" Timid blushed and slightly smiled before saying "I -I just wanted to say thank you for coming and help"

"Any time beautiful. Just call me and I'm here"

"Thanks…I -I let Raven know"

"We also love your fighting techniques" said the one in green. "Much like Robin's but you have sweeter moves that he does" she said with a smile.

"We also think there is a certain romance to the mystery that mask gives you…so… what would you call it Red?" said the one in pink.

"Intriguing" she said simply. Red X was overwhelmed. Because next thing he knew, he was surrounded by most of the Ravens he had seen in action. That was until the real one cleared her throat from behind them to get their attention.

"All of you, don't you have something better to do like… smothering Garfield or something?" after all the emotions started to clear the way, she approached the thief who had his arms crossed over his chest.

"So.. Raven…you think I'm intriguing?" he taunted, a playful voice full of amusement.

"No. I think you're annoying… besides, I already know what you look like, there is no intrigue involved. Just follow them to the forbidden door. It will take you back to the tower"

"ouch! Yeap, you're the real one alright" he said with a chuckle and turned to follow the rest.

She watched him go then approached Meliah who had been lost in thought all the while. "I'm sorry about earlier" Raven said quietly. Meliah looked up for a moment then back to the ground. "its understandable" she said, just as quiet. "What will happen to me now?" she asked without looking up.

"I'll help restore your mind. Make the memories less painful."

"Can you make me forget?"

"No. but I can bury your memories deep within so you wont have to remember what you don't want to."

"I'd like that"

"E-everything ok girls?" asked Garfield.

"We're fine Gar" Meliah said with a smile when she noticed his messed up hair.

"I'm taking Meliah back to her own mind and help her restore some of the damage. We'll be back soon" said Raven and starteed to walk away. Garfield glanced at Meliah who had a guilty expression and refused to look him in the eye.

"M, don't. you saved my life… that's all that matters" he said while softly lifting her chin with his index finger. She nodded halfheartedly and walked behind Raven who was now floating mid air with her eyes closed, hands resting on her knees.

"Hey Rae.. "

"Yes?" she asked without opening her eyes.

"Should I be worried?" he asked and when she opened her eyes, he motioned for her to look over at the forbidden door where Red X was once again, surrounded by her emotions.

"No. They're just.. Amused at the new visitor… go quickly thru the portal and we'll see you soon" she said while closing her eyes again. But something deep within sank and for a moment, he felt empty. Lonely. But decided not to press the issue at the moment. Instead, he walked a few steps away and turned before the two girls were enveloped in a dark bubble and disappeared from their spot.

As he approached the forbidden door, each emotion turned to him and sadly said their goodbyes. The thief only watched as the green changeling walked thru the portal without a second glance. When he started to walk behind him, Timid stopped him by grabbing his arm and shyly pulled him a little lower just to place a light kiss on his masked cheek.

"We like you, we're just… not in love with you"

"Too bad you're not green" said Brave as she walked by and disappeared as well as the rest of them. The thief said nothing but arched an eyebrow under his mask and walked thru the swirling portal that would take him back home.


	39. Chapter 39

_**Hello everyone, sorry for the delay but i was trying to do a better job at my grammar as its been horribly mangled in the last two chapters to which i wanted to apologize for. But thank you to those who took the time to point the errors out. That's how we learn. **_

_**Anyway, there is a scene where the spell is cast on Meliah. Kind of explaining how she came to be possessed by a demon and for that idea I have to thank Shadico. I barely changed any words but added a few more to keep it flowing, so THANK YOU! .**_

* * *

**Chapter 39. Memory vine**

Upon arrival, the landscape in Meliah's mind was a disarray of greenery. The fog had remained but not as thick as before. A quick look around and Raven could see a bit clearly what the girl's mind was about. The sky was cloudy, as if a storm was coming. There were distant sounds of birds and the trees, although present almost everywhere, were deformed of various hues of dark greens and browns.

The two girls walked while looking around. Raven trying to make sure no demonic traces were left and Meliah just as curious, admiring her surroundings.

"I thought all this existed because of her" Meliah said quietly.

"Not at all… this is all you" answered Raven without looking back at her and looking at the trees instead.

But at a short distance was a luscious weeping willow tree. Separate from the other mangled ones. But this one in fact was in full bloom. As they approached, they heard quiet murmurs and whispers and under the tree's foliage, there was a vine that wrapped around the trunk and branches with luscious leaves that compelled the girls to touch them.

Meliah gasped upon touching the first leaf. "I had forgotten about this" she whispered to herself and a smile replaced her surprised expression. Raven came forward and touched the leaf as well and for a split second saw how a small frog on her hand jumped to her face while another giggle resonated in the background. She gasped as well at the odd image.

"When Gar and I were little, we used to go to a pond to watch the frogs and he had dared me to touch one and I did and even grabbed one in my hand but I squeezed it and jumped to my face. I fell backwards and Gar wouldn't stop laughing for the rest of the day" she said quietly, reminiscing at the memory. And as soon as she remembered, the leaf turned to a darker shade of green.

Raven then noticed the different hues along the vines and branches and grabbed another one a bit higher than the last. In this one, her vision was a bit blurry but as her eyes focused she noticed someone at the door, she blinked a couple of times but whoever was there was gone, instead, she looked around and realized she was in a hospital room. To her right was a very young Garfield. He had fallen sleep on the chair in front of the bed but woke up the moment she tried to move. He was green now, she noticed. He was worried and teary eyed. "I'm sorry M" he whispered, then the image was gone.

"What happened here?" asked Raven. Meliah softly touched the leaf then just as quickly, let go of it.

"It had been an accident. The first time Gar transformed into an animal, it was a Bear. I was too close"

"You mean he made the scars on your face?" asked Raven wide eyed and realized Garfield had never mentioned anything like that. In fact, he had never spoken about the first time he ever transformed into anything.

"Yes, but like I said, it had been an accident. But he still feels guilty."

Raven nodded then continued studying the memory tree. Another leaf however, showed her running, being pulled by a boy in a clearing, she was compelled to look back and saw a monkey making its way towards them with dilated red eyes and foam around its mouth. Raven felt panic, fear and in the distraction she tripped over a branch and covered her face as the animal was almost upon her but stopped when a shot was fired. The boy pulled her to her feet and run again but suddenly he pushed her out of the way and the animal had grabbed the boy's leg. He was kicking and screaming until another shot was heard, then, everything went dark.

Raven let go of the leaf. The memories so livid as if they were her own, had her panting for no apparent reason. Meliah saw Raven's expression and touched the leaf as well but snatched her hand almost immediately when she recognized the memory. "That's one of my worst memories" she said quietly.

"He told us once he was bitten by a wild animal but, he never went into details"

"I'm not surprised. If is a bad memory for me, its probably a nightmare for him"

Then as quiet as before, Raven continued looking thru the memories. There was something there that had caught her attention but she couldn't put her finger on it. She came across earlier memories when Garfield and Meliah had been kids. The time she came out of the hospital and Garfield had placed a kiss on each one of the scars. The time when Meliah had tried to save Garfield's parents by turning into an octopus. Again as if she had been the one there. The fear, the panic, the frustration and pain were all too real.

Then she realized what had caught her eye earlier. This new memory was when Meliah woke up at the edge of the swollen river. She could feel the pain shooting up her leg from her ankle. Her sore limps and dizziness and then noticed a woman laying on the ground next to her. It was Garfield's mother, unconscious and bruised. A small fire was burning behind her and then he came out. A monk wearing tattered robes with a gentle smile.

Raven let go of the leaf and looked at it with curiosity and narrowed eyes.

"What is it Raven? What did you see?"

"I'm not sure" Raven said then looked at the other memories from before and came across another one. One when again Meliah was in a hospital room but this time, she was alone. Got up as best she could because of the cast on her right ankle and then felt her body change and suddenly, wings were holding her mid air, she could feel the thrill of flying for the first time and as she flew around the room, out of the corner of her eye saw the monk standing by the door for a split second, but the pain on her ankle was to great to ignore anymore and so she transformed back, then the image was gone.

Raven let go of the leaf and looked at Meliah with narrowed eyes.

"Raven? What are you looking for?"

Raven looked back at the vines and tried to follow its pattern up the trunk. She saw another leaf bright yellow. She had to extend her arm until she could touch the edge of the yellow leaf and gasped when she realized she had found what she was looking for.

"Meliah… do you remember the monk that rescued you from the wreckage?"

"Yes… he's the one who went to the village to get help for Gar's mom and me, why?"

"Did you ever see him again? Or before that?"

"hmmm, never saw him before but I think I saw him years later, but I'm not sure. Why?"

"Take a look at this" Raven said and guided her to the memory when Meliah had woken up in the hospital after the accident with Garfield. But this time, Raven was as herself in the memory, just like she had been in Garfield's when he was having the nightmares. She could see the two kids by the bed, with bandages covering Meliah's half of her face and then looked to her left towards the door. Still a blurred image but the robes were noticeable.

"I told you this had been an accident" said Meliah after letting go of the leaf.

"Its not that. Pay attention at what you see in the background, concentrate and try to remember"

This time, Meliah grabbed the leaf by herself, closed her eyes then frown as she went thru the memory again. "That's strange… it doesn't make sense. I wasn't anything by then. This happened about a month before I messed with the vials" she said when she let go.

"I think he was after Garfield" said Raven while pointing at the yellow leaf above their heads. When Meliah met her eyes with her own questioning ones, Raven said "This one is from the day the spell was cast on you. Please, try to concentrate on the details. I need to see it thru and don't worry, its just a memory so whatever you see, whatever you hear… is not real" Meliah nodded and reluctantly, grabbed the leaf's edge at the same time as Raven did.

Raven saw Meliah, running thru the African jungle. She was older, ten or twelve years old, when on a small clearing, she happens to come across a group of three evil looking men. For a split second she stops, but something is wrong, so she morphs into an eagle ready to take off. Then, the men yell in a foreign language, extremely excited and start to run towards her so she flies away.

They manage to track her down and corner her, forcing her to fight. But these are no ordinary men. They seem to have a plan. A purpose. Raven recognizes the monk from before among them, but not only that, the tattoos and clothing they're wearing are from an ancient voodoo clan she has read about before.

As they start closing in on her, one pulls a dagger, the other a spear and try to stab her. They're fast, but not as fast as she is. She turns into a gorilla, then a rhino and after failed attempts on their part to neutralize her, she knocks them out. Leaving them bloody and unconscious on the ground.

The third man. The monk now in different clothing, is enraged and pulls a dagger on her. Even though his chances of winning are slim to none, he advances slowly, all the while cutting his other hand with the dagger, mumbling to himself. Meliah seems confused and watches the man apprehensively while he begins to chant softly then louder, until he sounds more and more unhinged as the demonic words flow from his lips.

Meliah is now frightened and out of instinct of self preservation, pounces on the man who had slowly come to an stop. With bared teeth and claws, she dives at the last man the moment he felt silent and then a malicious grin spreads on his face as he focuses intently on her and stabs her as she falls on him with the same dagger stained with his blood.

She screams the moment the dagger cuts thru her skin but at that moment, her eyes crystallized broken blue and she managed to dig her claws into the man's chest before she hit's the ground. And as everything Raven sees starts to get darker, she sees the man get up and stumble away until everything is pitch black.

…

…

When Meliah woke up in the medical bay, everything was quiet save for the beeping noises of the monitors. She was no longer intubated and only had an iv attached to her left arm. As she looked around, noticed the bed across the room where Raven laid still unconscious. Garfield had fallen sleep holding her hand while Red X was sitting on a chair on the other side, leaning against the bed, arms crossed over his chest with the soft rise and fall of his chest, indicating he was also asleep.

Meliah sighed deeply and leaned her head back against the pillows, trying not to think of anything while focusing on the dim sunrays that came thru the window behind her bed. She smiled to herself at the strange feeling of a quiet mind. Then a soft pressure over her right hand made her snap out of her enjoyment. The thief was standing next to her.

"How are you feeling kitten?" he asked as quietly as possible while he squeezed her hand a bit more. She smiled at that and sighed before she answered him.

"I haven't felt this alone since Garfield left" she said looking over at the other bed. The thief followed her gaze and attempted to move his hand but she stopped him.

"Not in the way you think… there is a kind of peace. A silence in my mind that I had forgotten what it felt like… there is no… whispering questioning my every move. There is no anger to hold back. Just me and my own thoughts." she said almost absentminded. Distracted by the meaning of her own words.

"Do you miss her?"

"I was… used to her. The company kept me sane… or insane, which ever way you look at it. Thanks to her I'm alive now when otherwise I would have given up a long time ago. Somehow in the madness, she gave me hope and a new perspective of me being able to do more"

"So you do miss her"

"In a way I guess but, the prize I had to pay… I wouldn't have been able to live with myself and that's why she was taking over… but the question is.. Will you miss her?"

The thief chuckled to himself, distracted while he caressed her hand and run a finger along her forearm, raising goose bumps on her skin.

"You are only as wild as you want to be Mel" he said while he run a finger on her cheek.

Garfield, who had been awake from the moment the thief got up from the chair, had listened to their conversation. Incredible to think that the suave talking, elusive thief, was soft enough to fall for his friend and stick this far in the mission when he hardly knew her. Then he felt a soft squeeze on his hand.

Raven was awake, with that subtle yet playful smile he loved and in the excitement, got up and hugged her without restrain, ignoring the fact that the other two had let go of each other's hands.

"I take it everything went according to plan?" asked Garfield, looking from one girl to the other.

"Not only that but we found out who cast the spell" said Meliah with a smile as she tried to get up.

The thief, on seeing her smile so genuinely at the green Titan, silently walked to the window and glanced at the other couple. And while Garfield chatted with Meliah, he could also see the apprehension in the beautiful purple eyes of the demoness. He was no empath like she was, but could only imagine what she was feeling no matter how good she tried to hide it. Because somehow, that's exactly how he felt.

Garfield had also noticed her evasive eyes. Raven was now reclined on the bed, looking away at the opposite direction where Meliah was and for a split second caught sight of the thief disappearing without anyone else noticing. For a moment there, Raven felt more alone. Her chest and heart constricted thanks to the heartbreak and disappointment she still harbored.

At some point, Meliah mentioned how amused she was at how relaxed she could feel at the moment.

"Gar, is incredible! I haven't felt this much freedom from myself in a long time and I owe it all to Raven… thank you"

Raven nodded once and briefly glanced at the smiling girl and said as cold and detached as she possibly could "Don't mention it"

Garfield however, caught the strain in her voice and winced when he felt her hands slip away from his while she prepared herself to get up and leave. Meliah could only feel the tension in the room and her smile faded. "Well…um, I think I'll get something to eat" then, in almost a whisper she said "I'm sorry" then without waiting for a response, Meliah left the room.

Garfield then turned towards Raven, her back to him, but when he tried to reach her shoulder, she got up, leaving his hand in the air and when he was about to speak, she cut him off and said "I need to meditate" just as cold as before while she walked towards the chair where her cloak had been resting. Garfield in the meantime, rolled over the bed, got on his feet and in two strides, he was behind her, so when she turned, she had no choice but to look at him in the eyes.

"Rae, talk to me… you're still mad, are you? And don't tell me you need to meditate right this second, just… talk to me"

She looked in his eyes for a split second, then looked down while she tried to walk around him. "You should go eat as well. Its been a long night for everyone."

"Raven!" he said a bit more sternly than what he meant to, but he didn't back down. Instead, he grabbed her by the shoulders "Raven… I'm not the empath here. You need to tell me what you're thinking. I don't want to loose you over a misunderstanding"

She narrowed her eyes at him and pushed her way pass him with a scuff. "you want to know what I'm thinking? Then let me tell you first how I feel… I feel exhausted, empty, disappointed and most of all, angry beyond reason. What am I thinking? I'm thinking that is taking lot from me not let Rage take over and let her tear Meliah apart…" she said eyes glowing white and trembling hands she had balled in a fist.

"Raven…" he tried to say but she cut him off once more.

"… And the only reason keeping me from doing just that, is the mere fact that you're here, that thanks to what she did you're alive…" she continued not noticing half the equipment was encased in her dark energy, floating around them.

He dared a move and grabbed her trembling hands in his and tried to ease the tension by rubbing them softly with his thumbs. He had no words he could think of to ease her mind and her heart, so, he said nothing and waited for her to calm down on her own accord. And amidst the chaos of her own emotions, Raven could feel the waves of uneasiness and even guilt coming from him.

She looked down at their hands, she was making no attempt to grab his and slowly tried to slip them away out of his hold. Her eyes were no longer glowing and carefully, guided the floating equipment back to their places.

And after she sighed once more, she said more quietly. "Gar, I don't blame you. Not for a second. But to also realize that I have no right to feel this way is also frustrating"

"What do you mean no right. You're my girlfriend. I understand why you feel that way Rae"

"I am your girlfriend now, but I wasn't back when that happened and, well… I had, sort of imagined… I would be your first." she said more quietly but she knew he had heard judging by the surprised expression on his face. "You know what? Forget it!, what's done, is done. Its pointless of me to remain angry when that wont solve anything. But I really need to meditate before Robin starts questioning me about my findings in her head and somehow, quiet down my own mind and please… I don't want to be disturbed" she said, and with that, she opened a portal and disappeared in the darkness, leaving a confused but smiling Garfield behind.

* * *

**_So, even though and regardless of how this chapter was developed towards the end, I promise the fluffy parts will come back at the end of the next chapter as I still have a bit more drama to develop and get out of the way that will lead to the end of this story. Thank you all for reading and please, feel free to review. _**


	40. Chapter 40

_Hello everyone... late again, I'm sorry. But is a bit longer so I hope that helps to forgive my tardiness. _

* * *

**Chapter 40. Girl talk and the Beast.**

Garfield was left bereft of understanding. Frustrated, he run a hand thru his hair and exhaled loudly, pursed his lips and closed his eyes while shaking his head, hands on both sides of his waist.

"Don't worry Gar… she didn't like me in the first place…" said Meliah, quietly from the door. He turned to look at her. She was leaning on its frame with her arms crossed over her chest.

"…I just gave her an excuse to consider her course of action towards me" she continued while walking towards him. He softened his features and walked to meet her in the middle of the room and hugged her.

"You heard all that, huh?" he asked quietly into her hair.

"Couldn't help it. I wanted to know exactly what she was thinking, she never said a word while in my mind. The way she found out…"

"Well, I have to admit it was a shock to find out what you did. I'm not sure if I should feel flattered or abused…" he said with a ghost of a smile, trying to lighten the mood. She narrowed her eyes and smacked him lightly on his left arm. "Ow!" he said while rubbing his arm.

"Is not a joke Gar. I didn't do it for pleasure… I've seen what happens if there is no release of the pressure… I was not about to loose you to a massive heart attack when I could do something about it…" she whispered, her expression serious, looking intently in his eyes. He pulled her into another embrace to calm down the trembling that threatened to overtake her.

"I know, I know… I'm sorry. I'm just…"

"I know Gar…"

…

…

Raven emerged from the portal on the ground of the tower's roof with the hood of her cloak over her head and the rest of the garment shielded her entire body from the early morning chill. And overlooking the scenery, she could feel a sense of peace. The city was still asleep, birds chirped in the distance and the birth of a new dawn coloring the tranquil waters of the bay added more beauty to the overall picture.

Hard to believe fall was almost upon them. So much had happened in so little time and yet, time had actually gone by in the blink of an eye. Up until two months ago, Raven had enjoyed what came to be a routine of sorts. Early meditation followed by a nice, warm cup of tea and a toast with homemade strawberry jam that Cyborg is known to make in industrial quantities due to his obsession with waffles and the sweet tooth the rest of her teammates shared. She smiled to herself at that. She had caught each male in her team, sneaking behind her back, thinking she wouldn't notice them while meditating. That of course, had happened when none of them knew she could sense their presence, no matter how quiet they tried to be.

The same as Garfield had tried once to surprise her in the hallway and around the corner. All that for him to just turn around and find her, silently and creepily staring at him, with the hood over her head and in a dead toned voice asked "What do you think you're doing?" he shrieked in a high, girly pitch before running away. A mischievous smile escaped her for a split second, and just as fast, it was gone before anyone else noticed.

Yes, there had been plenty of sweet, innocent moments he never realized she enjoyed. Or anyone else for that matter and of course, she would never admit it, but now… it was a completely different scenario.

The last few weeks have been absolutely gruesome. Sure their line of work wasn't at all safe and there was always the chance of getting seriously injured or worse, but they had never come across such ruthless characters that were capable of pushing others to the limits of insanity with Garfield caught in the middle with this girl he's been so fond of since childhood.

She sighed deeply into the soft, cool breeze that caressed her face and closed her eyes once more while images of Meliah's memories played in her head. She mused at how protective he had been of her when they were little, as if what she's seen them do for each other now wasn't proof enough. "How am I going to compete with that?" she said to herself out loud.

"There is no competition to be won, Raven" The thief's voice was heard from a few feet away. He was perched at the edge, tugging at his mask back in place.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked with a frown while removing the hood off her head.

"Hey, I was here before you showed up, beautiful"

"So here is where you disappeared to" she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I didn't think anyone would notice… come…" he said, patting the cool concrete surface next to him. When he saw her hesitation he said "C'mon beautiful, I wont bite… " she narrowed her eyes at him again but complied and as she approached he added "…unless you want me to…" in that playful tone he always used.

Raven frown and with a flick of her hand, tendrils of her dark energy enveloped him and threw him over the edge, towards the bay and the moment the dark tentacles disappeared, he teleported back to the roof and she was sitting on the same place he was a few minutes ago.

"C'mon kid, lighten up… I was just trying to get you to smile"

"It took years for Beast Boy to accomplish that. What makes you think you can do it in five minutes"

"…um…"

"That's what I thought" she said while facing the horizon again. "Why don't you take off the mask? Its pointless to try to hide your identity anymore when we already know what you look like" she continued, without looking at him.

He sat down quietly next to her, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. He scuffed to himself before answering.

"Because I don't want any of you kids looking at me the same way as the first time you saw my face. Comparing every single physical detail. Reminding me of what I am… a cheap copy of the so called _Boy Wonder_… no Raven, I refuse to be under his shadow. I've worked too hard to get a reputation of my own"

"You've worked hard to become …a thief?" she asked sarcastically.

"Would Richard do what I do without regret?"

She arched an eyebrow at his blunt use of Robin's real name but answered anyway "Yes, he was the first Red X, remember?"

"That doesn't count sweetheart. He was working undercover to get to Slade. I, on the other hand do it for my own benefit. You can say, he provided me my own way of freedom."

"Michael…"

"Tell me, Raven, wouldn't this…" he said as he pulled the mask off, revealing his jet black, tussled hair and crystal blue eyes, looking intently into her own. "…or this…" as if the voice she heard wasn't enough, he proceeded to run a finger along her jaw line. "… be unsettling to you without the mask?"

Slowly, she moved her face away from his hand "Ok, I get your point…" satisfied, Michael took his earlier position, this time holding the mask in his hands while the soft breeze played with it.

"Hey beautiful… can I ask you something?"

She hesitated for a moment, considering whether to answer him or not. "What is it?" she finally asked quietly, still looking at the scenery before her.

"What is it that you think you cannot compete against?"

"I rather not talk about it"

"Let's be hones beautiful. You're pissed because Meliah had him before you did. Am I right?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it" She said. Glaring menacingly but the unmasked thief wasn't at all concerned while he locked eyes with her now glowing white ones.

"Tell me Raven, is your pride so hurt and thick that it doesn't let you see what's really in front of you?"

"And what would that be, oh wise one?" she said sarcastically.

"For starters, he's alive…"

"Obviously. Is there a point to this or can I throw you to the water… and this time I wont let go until you're deep under" she said with a mischievous smirk as dark energy emanated from her hands.

"Funny. But yes there is. Thanks to what she did, he's alive and thanks to that… so is she. You can start your romance with him from scratch and I can… lets just say it's a win, win situation"

"You like her…well there is a surprise" she said while rolling her eyes. Sarcasm sipping thru her words. But he scuffed to himself and turned back to look at the mask in his hands while a somber expression took over his features. After a few minutes of silence, the beeping of her communicator broke the silence. It was Robin.

"Raven, I'm glad you're ok. Beast Boy said you wanted to meditate. Are you finished, did I interrupt."

"Actually, I didn't get a chance, but I'm feeling better" she said glancing at the thief then back to the screen with a ghost of a smile.

"Excellent. I need you to come to the common room for a meeting. Tell Michael to come as well. Robin out."

" He doesn't miss a beat, does he?" Michael asked and Raven was about to reply when another beeping noise interrupted her. This time coming from his utility belt. "Would you look at that, fresh out of Xenothium… good thing you're a sorceress"

"What do you mean?" she said with a faint frown and a confused look.

"I mean, how else would you know I had just the right amount of juice left to teleport back to the roof when you threw me"

"I didn't" she said and started to walk towards the door, trying to hide a smile. He got up and run to catch up with her.

"Wait, did you just say you didn't, then how…"

"I'm an empath Michael, I sense other people's emotions, I don't tell the future" this time her words sank in and his expression was one of pure shock and disbelief while a hint of fear lingered around him. Raven's features softened and changed into an amused smile she couldn't hide anymore.

The thief looked indignant and crossed his arms over his chest and said "Is not funny Raven"

"I know is not. I'm sorry, but your face was just… priceless"

"Well… I'm glad my near misfortune amuses you and…" he stop as he realized something and gave her a most mischievous of smiles. Raven sobered up immediately "What?" she asked, all amusement gone.

"You smiled" he grinned even more.

"So?"

"So, It didn't take me years like a certain someone. Not exactly five minutes but, I'm satisfied with the result"

"Shut up!" she said and rolled her eyes. "put the mask back on, I'll teleport us to the common room. Mento and Rita are still here and I'm sure they'll stay for the meeting and trust me when I tell you, you don't want him in your head"

"Whatever you say, beautiful"

…

…

As predicted, Mento and Rita were present at the meeting. Upon arrival, Raven received a bone crushing hug from Starfire. After all greetings were said and done, Raven motioned for everyone to sit in the sofa while she stood in front of them.

After explaining her findings in the other girl's memories, there was an open discussion about the possibilities of who, where and what exactly had happened. Raven's extensive knowledge of ancient spells and cultures proved to be very helpful as none of the others even knew that voodoo clans were still very much active.

Before the meeting started, Meliah had described the most prominent tattoo she remembered from her attackers. Cyborg had looked in the archives of any ancient culture with such markings and found it belonged to a clan that had not been heard of since the early nineteen hundreds.

The empath explained how that particular clan had been the biggest back in those days. How they had been bold enough to show up in public and try to perform their rituals in order to make themselves known, but, as the incantations and rituals turned out to be more gruesome every time, the said clan was banned from the villages that surrounded the area and even wanted for treachery, larceny and murder among other things. So they were forced into hiding and no one had ever heard of them again… until now.

Raven was bombarded with question after question on how and where to find them, even though clans like that were not known to remain in the same area for long. Mento and Rita being the most insistent. _Understandable, _thought Raven since it was their son that monk had been after. Or at least, all evidence pointed to that conclusion.

The briefing turned out to be excruciatingly long and tedious, and even worse when they reached the point of who to look for and where. There was a clear misunderstanding as to what exactly was the difference between monks and voodoo priests since all Meliah remembered was a monk helping her in a time of need but as she described the moment of the attack, he was there again.

Raven was growing irritated and frustrated. Mento had been clear that he didn't care what the man's title had been. He wanted answers and coordinates as to where to start looking. She admitted she had recognized the monk's robes as another ancient culture. They were Earth's version of Azarath's culture and they were known to live in a temple in the oldest part of Tibet.

"What are we waiting for?" demanded Mento, ready to get up and leave.

"I didn't say it had been them…Look, there is a possibility that whoever that was, was a rogue monk." continued Raven.

"You mean they can just change cultures?" Asked Robin, intrigued by the findings.

"With enough conviction, yes. Its rare but not unheard of"

"Well, I say we go to that temple and ask if they knew the dude. I want to know how did he know about me back then." Garfield said, getting up from his spot.

"Friend Beast Boy, do you think is wise for you to expose yourself to them just like that?" a worried Starfire asked.

"Star, if they are still interested in me then that would make it easy for us to find them"

"You actually have a good point Gar. They would come to us rather than we wasting time in a wild goose chase looking for someone we don't know if is still alive" said Raven.

"Bait…are you seriously considering to let him use himself as bait?" said an angry Meliah, speaking for the first time since the meeting started while approaching the demoness.

"M, is ok. I want to do this" Garfield tried to intervene but she ignored him as she walked passed him and stopped mere inches away from the cloaked girl. He winced in anticipation. Neither girl was known to back down easily.

"We are trained to take on any kind of mission and he will not be alone" said Raven with a cold monotone and menacing glare.

Everyone got up, the tension in the room was thicker than the air they were breathing.

Meliah tilted her head, eyes locked with the demoness "Is that your excuse… I will not allow you to put him in danger…"

"Allow me!? … since when do you think you have the right to _allow me_ anything, specially where Gar is concern"

"More than what you can imagine"

"So you taking advantage of him is what makes you think that, you whore!?" said Raven, instinctively taking a fighting stance, eyes glowing red and her hands glowing black, ready to attack.

Meliah also took a fighting stance, with her well known predatory demeanor. Sharper fangs and claws, tense muscles and growling. Her eyes, although no longer turned into a broken, crystallized blue, were sharper and even in lighter color that made them seem cold and murderous.

"Bring it… witch!" said Meliah with a malicious smirk. Raven didn't need to be told twice and with a swing of her right arm, a whip like tendril was directed at the other girl who was quick enough and had jumped to turn and twisted in the air to turn into a hyena and with a howling, laugh like sound, pounced on her pray, showing sharp teeth. Raven however, disappeared in a portal on the floor and reappeared mid air, right above the mammal and with a larger tendril of energy, pounded on the animal, hard.

"Do you think I'm not prepared to encounter your tricks? And just remember this… he's mine!" said Raven while Meliah turned back human, wiping some blood off her lower lip.

With sonic blaster, bird-a-rangs and star bolts ready, the other titans stood, not too far from the confrontation but with unsure looks as to whom to defend from who. Mento and Rita were just as close, watching in horror how the two women attacked each other.

At some point, Steve raised his hand up to his helmet with the idea of stopping them somehow, but Rita stopped him.

"Steve, we can't intervene. This is something they have to fix themselves. Is too personal a situation."

"Rita, these are not normal girls having a catfight over some guy. An enraged half demon and an enraged shape shifter who can turn into any kind of predator are fighting in close range over our son… don't you think they need a little help to sort this out without destroying everything around them?" Mento said while stopping a chair from colliding with his wife with his powers.

"Steve, I know what you're saying, but in the end, it all comes down to the basic concept. Those two girls and our son, have to figure this out on their own. This is a situation you cannot fix."

Mento let out a frustrated grunt. She was right of course.

"Rob, what do we do?… how are we going to stop them, and the tower, is half way destroyed as it is. It wont take long before it crumbles under their catfight" ask Cyborg, shooting down a broken iron beam before it hit the screen of the main computer.

"We have to lead them outside, there is little possibility of them destroying anything" said Robin looking at a enraged Raven using two whips now, trying to capture a king cobra who threatened to get closer to the empath at every snap.

"But Robin, what if they approach the city? We're not that far from it" Starfire said, her eyes and hands no longer glowing green. Concern evident in her voice.

"We have to contain them, there is only one place that can hold them both" Robn said.

"Contain them? And how the hell do you pretend to get close enough to them to do that. Even if we manage to get them inside that chamber, is a bad idea." said Cyborg.

"I… I just don't know how to stop a fight like this" Robin admitted. For once, he had no solution or a plan. Because in the end, it didn't matter how much or how good a Titan and a warrior each were, they were women. Women fighting against each other to defend their beliefs and the man each one thought it was her right to protect and defend.

"Yo Beast Boy, any idea how to control your women?" Cyborg asked, but something was wrong. Garfield had not said a word the entire time and now was rubbing his temples, eyes shut tight as if fighting back a pounding headache.

At that moment, another window shattered. When everyone looked, there was a red kangaroo falling back on hind legs while Raven was flying back at top speed and while the marsupial turned into a gorilla, distracted by her oncoming attacker, a dark portal opened behind her. Raven's intension was obvious. For once, she would do what she always threatened everyone with, to send them to an unknown dimension.

At seeing this, Garfield snapped and as he transformed into a larger form he said in a deeper voice, almost a growl "This has gone long enough!" and right in front of them, the massive animal stood. With dead, cold eyes. Longer, serrated teeth and claws that scratched the floor as he started to run towards the women.

The Beast let out a roar and the moment they saw him approach at a dangerous speed, the portal closed, Meliah turned back human but let out an angry hiss and Raven tried to block him with her dark energy, but it was too late. The Beast jumped and with lightning speed, not only avoided the obstacle, he also managed to trap the girls mid air, one on each arm and go thru the broken window.

As they fell, neither girl could move or transform. They were angry but the Beast gave them no room for struggle . He landed on his hind legs with a thud on the sand and dropped both girls unceremoniously on the soft ground. Then, he leaned over them, slamming each claw. His left one next to Raven's head and the other one next to Meliah's.

The Beast was panting and growling at the same time. Both girls were surprised to say the least. Raven specially, as she had never been object of the Beast's anger but neither one was afraid.

"Garfield… MOVE!" growled Meliah, panting herself.

"Garfield! STAY OUT OF THIS!" ordered Raven, eyes glowing white.

But the Beast would have none of it and pounded his fists repeatedly on the sand then leaned his head back and let out a louder roar. Finally he got their undivided attention and with a shudder, the Beast's body trembled and soon, Garfield stood above them, eyes closed, then, he opened them suddenly and slowly, the green pupils appeared again. He got up and waited for them to get up. Cautiously they did. Raven's eyes were no longer glowing but she glared at him with a raised eyebrow and Meliah much the same but with a frown instead and arms crossed over her chest.

" This has gone long enough. I am not a little kid anymore that needs to have his decisions made for him… Meliah, I said I'm going and that's final… Raven… Meliah is not a whore, we didn't have sex, … we were trapped… in a metal cage… with NO powers … she used herself on me as her last resort because a cynical psychopath had drugged us… you know why? because he wanted to sell our kids to the highest bidder like some exotic animals."

"Meliah… don't ever! And I mean EVER! Call Raven a witch or a demon or anything of that nature" he said with barely contained anger. Hands balled into fists, shaking. The Beast was lurking very close to the edge of restrain and Raven figured he let Garfield out just so he could communicate since growls and loud roars were not getting his point across.

The others had arrived but stayed at a safe distance. They could see how much was Beast Boy trying not to snap again. The frown on his forehead seemed to be sculpted on his features and as hard as he was breathing, they were afraid he would pass out from the exertion.

"But Gar…"

"But what!?" Garfield interrupted, grinding his teeth. But Meliah was not one to be submissive no matter how dangerous her position was.

"Why do you insist on playing bait to find those people. don't you understand I don't want you to go thru what I went thru?"

"Its because of what you went thru that I want to find them. Don't you get it. What they did to you had been meant for me at some point and I left like a coward when I couldn't do more to save you and my parents… Not this time. I might be late for my parents but not for you."

"And Raven?… haven't you figure out by now that I only want you? … Gosh, you're so stubborn and bad tempered. You have thrown me out the window more times than I can remember and I still come back for more… doesn't that tell you anything?"

"Gar… I…" but Garfield heard someone chuckled and he sharply turned towards the offender. Then walked towards the thief who, on seeing the green titan approach, straighten his pose and started to say "so she does like throwing people over…thheeh…"

He didn't have time to finish as Garfield had grabbed him by the throat. And with a predatory growl he said " If you ever touch MY girlfriend or even sit next to her that close again… I will tear you apart" and he pushed the thief back, making him loose his balance and as he propped himself on one elbow, he rubbed his throat with the other and for once, he said nothing.

Garfield turned back and walked towards Raven. Gently, placed his hands on her face and pulled her in a breathless, possessive, almost angry kiss. Raven felt him tremble. His contained anger was sipping thru his barriers but he never hurt her. So, she tried to sooth him by kissing him back. He finally accepted her softer, slower rhythm and she could feel his tension started to waver. His hands went around her waist and her arms around his neck.

Eventually, they had to pull apart, both in need of air but rested their heads on each other's foreheads with their eyes closed. After a moment, she opened her eyes back up and shyly rubbed her nose on his. When he opened his eyes, they were not angry anymore but softer, even apologetic. A small smile escaped her as she whispered "I love you my Beast Man" he couldn't help but chuckled at her joke and simply said "I love you too Rae".


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41. Damage control.**

Birds had flown away at the sound of the angry roars the Beast made while the breeze was calming their agitated bodies. No one dared to make a sound other than the waves crashing on the rocks nearby, they just… stared. After the nail biting moment the Beast had made everyone go thru, to watch how anger melted away kiss by kiss, was just as mesmerizing.

There was a heavy sigh of relief from Cyborg while he wiped away a trail of sweat from the human half of his head and silently started to walk back towards the door they came out of. Robin followed suit until only Starfire, Red X and Meliah remained.

The alien flew silently towards the thief who was now trying to get up. He shook his head when she offered him her hand and once on his feet, dusted himself off . From the corner of his eye looked at the couple in a tight embrace. They seemed so peaceful in each other's arms, no traces left of the near death match he had witnessed.

Meliah however, was rooted in the same spot. Hard to tell whether she was still upset or even scared. Her features resembled no emotion, her fists were loose and just stared absentmindedly at the rocks and the sand in front of her.

At some point, Garfield turned to Meliah and grabbed her hand softly to get her attention making her snap out of her reverie. First, she noticed his hand on hers and his other hand, was holding Raven's. Meliah looked up into his eyes. They were apologetic and somewhat remorseful.

"M… I'm sorry I yelled at you. You too Raven, I'm sorry to both of you… I'm not taking back what I said but I wanted to apologize for losing my temper the way I did…" he said while looking from one girl to the other and noticed them avoiding each other's eyes.

"You have no idea how important the two of you are to me and I don't want to lose either one over a misunderstanding. Look, I don't expect you to become best friends but, I do expect you to be civil with each other. … now, is that something you two can work with?" he asked, no longer upset but serious enough to make them understand his point.

Finally, the girls glanced at each other for a split second then at him and nodded. Garfield grinned from ear to ear and pulled them both in a hug. Meliah giggled while Raven tried to contain her own. When he let them go, he looked around and noticed everyone else was gone.

"Hey, why don't we go get something to eat? It's well past lunch time and we missed breakfast. What do you say?" he asked with a smile.

"Food sounds good" answered Meliah.

"If you don't mind Gar, I'll just take a cup of tea and I'll go meditate in my room. Its been too long since my last session and after this morning's… incident… I'm exhausted."

His ears drooped a little in disappointment. Raven noticed this and came closer, placed her hands on each side of his head and pulled him in for a tender kiss while she run a finger on his left ear and soon, Garfield started to purr.

Meliah smiled and turned around to give them privacy and started to walk towards the door. She tried to distract herself by wiggling her toes as she walked in the sand. The warm breeze played with her hair and she took a deep breath of the salty air to calm down the remaining traces of anger and frustration she felt.

Meanwhile, Raven was enjoying herself. The purring noises he made were a compliment. Then a thought crossed her mind. She was hesitant but a voice in her head said "Do it. I guarantee you'll like it"

Raven frown for a split second but then thought to herself _why not_. She changed position, grabbed his face once more and caught his lower lip and nibbled on it. This time, a moan escaped him and with a swift move, pulled her to him by the waist and caught her lower lip and nibbled on it a bit harder than what she had dared to do to him.

Raven gasped at the thrill of the wonderful feeling but at the same time, rocks around them started to explode. Garfield was quick to push her to the sand while he fell on top of her to protect her from the debris.

Meliah heard the noise and turned around and started to run in their direction when she saw Garfield lift his head and look around. When he saw her coming, he lifted his hand to stop her and said "We're ok M…" she stopped and gave him a dubious look. Garfield smiled and said "I promise M, we're… more than fine". he said the last words while he looked down at Raven who was pursing her lips, trying not to smile while a blush was heating up her neck and face.

Garfield turned to Meliah who just nodded once and resumed her walk towards the door. Then he returned his attention to the girl under him "What was that?"

"I'm sorry" she said and tried to get up but he didn't let her.

"I'm not complaining, it's just… I had a dream like this not too long ago but… wow, this time was even better"

Raven smiled at this "It wasn't a dream Gar, Rage and the others did experiment on you in Nevermore"

"Really? I thought the whole trip had been a dream, no wonder it was… wait, does that mean you'll do the same?" he asked with a huge grin while they were trying to get up. Raven dusted the sand off her cape and hair while he did the same with his hair. Raven smiled "I'm not entirely sure what they did but, I'll try… just not today, I really need to meditate…I'll see you later?"

He hugged her once more and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "You bet" he said with a toothy smile. Then, Raven stepped back and with a smile of her own, disappeared in a portal.

Garfield sighed and for a moment, stared at the space where Raven had been, asking himself if he really had just let the Beast loose, angrily make his point across and most of all, kissed by the girl he had been in love with for years in a way he had only dreamt about. That made him smile to himself once more and whispered "She really did".

Muffled steps on the sand not too far made him get back to reality and look around and spotted Meliah reaching the door.

"Meliah, wait up!" he yelled and started running towards his friend.

…

…

When the others arrived at the common room, they had a chance to assess the extent of the damages. In the course of two days, the tower had been set on fire, trampled on, housed a dragon and even resisted the rampage of two angry women with supernatural powers. All and all, and considering the circumstances, the odd shaped building was still standing. But the chaos was extensive.

The floor to ceiling windows were broken, others cracked. There was nothing recognizable as a kitchen utensil after the explosion and was covered with black streaks where the fire had been most prominent. The doors to the hallway were about to collapse. The big sofa was no longer light cream color but a mixture of grey, black and other stains along with the carpet that surrounded it.

And although the main console was intact, other equipment was not. There were sparking wires hanging from the ceiling, chairs or what remained of them were encrusted on the wall. The debris of broken glass, food and other unknown pieces covered the rest of the floor and flickering lights threatening to give out any minute.

Cyborg scratched his head and wondered when had they had the chance to scratch the ceiling with their claws. Robin sighed deeply and Starfire had gone to her room to make sure Silkie had not been caught in the catfight or trapped in the disaster.

"Man, look at this mess" whined Cyborg while looking at their surroundings.

"We'll get it back in order Cy, don't worry" said Robin as he also contemplated the disaster.

Cyborg walked thru the debris avoiding broken glass from the windows and pieces of food that had been blown the day before. He approached the window and placed a hand on its frame and thought _good, still strong enough, I don't have to replace it. _

Then he stuck his head out and try to get a look around the frame and when he looked down, noticed Beast Boy hugging the two girls. When he turned around, he had a smile on his face.

"Did something amuse you, friend Cyborg?" asked Starfire, hovering close by Robin with Silkie in her arms. She was cradling it like a baby.

"Nah, I'm just glad the grass stain got those two under control" Cyborg said while making his way to the main console. Once there, he found a note addressed to Garfield and gave it to Robin while he attempted to bring the super computer back to life.

After pressing a few buttons, he sighed in relief when the screen lit up and asked for a sign in password. He typed his code and watched how the network came back online. He brought up a schematic of the tower to try to asses if the infrastructure was in any way compromised and typed commands for the computer to run the necessary scans.

They watched silently the upwards advance of the scan of the schematic on the screen. First red, then blue and finally green, each level was meticulously searched. After a few minutes, the conclusion was that the damage was merely cosmetic and other than windows, window frames, elevator doors, carpets and walls that needed repair and cleaning, there was nothing major to worry about.

"Woah" came a quiet voice in a monotone that took them by surprise. Raven had appeared in the area where the kitchen used to be.

"Raven, is everything the ok? Did you three fight again?" asked the alien flying closer to the sorceress while she rummaged among the remaining of the cabinet in search of her tea.

"No Star, what makes you say that?" Raven said while straightening up with a small box in hand, untouched by the fire somehow.

"I see you alone and no longer with your beloved at your side or Meliah" Star said with a tinge of worry in her voice.

"I just need to meditate and rest for a little bit. These last two days had been non-stop for me. I just came for some tea and I'll be on my way to my room but…" she said while looking around. The stove was dented beyond repair and her tea kettle was almost non existent.

"I got you Rae" said Cyborg and from a closet on the far end, he pulled a brand new tea kettle and small electric burner that was meant to be used for camping, if they ever got the chance. He plugged it, while Raven filled the kettle with water. She didn't have to wait long for it come to a boil, prepared her tea, thanked the tin man and left thru a portal to her room.

"Dude!, what a disaster" said Beast Boy a few seconds later when he arrived with Meliah.

"Tell me about it. It will take days before the Tower is secured enough to be left alone, not mentioning cleaned" said Cyborg

Robin then gave Beast Boy the envelope which he read while Meliah made her way around and started to pick up some of the debris.

The note said

_Garfield dear, I'm sorry we left without saying goodbye but we got an emergency call from Larry. _

_Call the number below, they are very discrete and will be able to help you repair and clean up the damages in the tower in no time. They will be expecting your call. That way we can all meet in Tibet and continue with this investigation. We'll be expecting coordinates soon. _

_Love Rita and Steve._

"Well dude, we don't have to worry about the clean up and repairs" he said handing the note to Robin. After reading it, he gave the note to Cyborg who immediately called. After a few exchanges, Cyborg hang up with a big grin on his face.

"Alright!, a cleaning crew and contractors are coming tomorrow by noon to start the repairs and we don't have to do a thing and the sweetest part is, is already paid for. Apparently they are the go to company that the Doom Patrol uses on a regular basis so they know the drill."

Robin sighed in relief, he wasn't looking forward all the clean up that needed to be done.

"Well Titans, I suggest we rest as much as we can. We'll call for pizza and go to bed. We'll have an early start tomorrow"

"Come with me little lady, I'll show you to your room" said Cyborg while motioning Meliah to follow him.

"Don't worry about it Cyborg, I can sleep here. I'll just turn into a…"

"Nonsense M, you'll be more comfortable there" said Garfield putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Gar, you do forget I've been sleeping in the jungle, or a cage or any other place when I had the chance, it would be no problem for me to just…"

"Meliah? Those days are in the past. You have friends now that care about you. Come, I'll take you to your new room" said Starfire with a smile and a grip that wouldn't take a no for an answer.

An hour later the pizzas arrived. Meliah had the chance to try a new variety and Garfield had an excuse to check on Raven.

He knocked on her door. He had a plate with a couple of slices of her favorite toppings, mushrooms, ham and pineapple. There was no answer at first but a soft swish from the door startled him. The room was dark as always, it was only when his eyes adjusted that he noticed a single candle lighting up the room. Raven was hovering above her bed, legs crossed and eyes closed.

Garfield walked as silently as he could, placed the plate on the night stand and glanced at the girl. Stare was the right word as he could not take his eyes off of her. The warm glow the candle provided, gave Raven a peaceful and beautiful complexion. So much so that he was compelled to get closer and attempt to give her a kiss on the cheek

His lips had barely touched her skin when she opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry Rae, I didn't mean to…" she placed a finger over his lips to stop him.

"You don't have to apologize Gar, its ok. Thank you for the food" she said with a smile. He smiled back and started to walk towards the door.

"Green" she said before he got out and that made him stop right in front of the door.

"What?"

"The password to my door, it's the word Green" Raven said shyly. He chuckled lightly to himself. "Since when?" he asked.

"Since the first time you were in Nevermore" he chuckled some more but this time she heard him "What's so funny?" she asked.

"The password to my door its been Purple since we first moved into the tower" he said and before he turned to exit her room, he blew her a kiss and said "Good night" but a tendril of her dark energy prevented him from getting out.

"Gar, don't blow me kisses ever again… you know why?" she said while she approached him. "Why?" he asked once she was just inches away.

"Because I like them in person" she said while she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in a tender kiss. His binds disappeared and he circled her waist. After a few minutes they pulled apart and Raven said "Now that is a proper good night kiss… good night Gar". he chuckled once more and pulled his girlfriend in a tight hug and said "I love you Rae. Good night".

…

…

It was barely six in the morning when Raven phased thru the floor in the common room. The sun was barely making its appearance. Some of the broken glass sparkled at the weak sunrays. Raven glided over one of the windows and guided her magic with her hands and put together every piece to repair the first crystal panel.

"Its very impressive what you can do with your powers" Meliah's quiet voice came from the other side of the room. She was leaning against the window sill looking out. One leg pulled up against her chest, resting her right arm on it while her left leg hanged outside.

"So can Gar and you. Being able to turn into animals anytime you want its actually pretty interesting"

Meliah chuckled "It is. You should try it sometime"

"I have… once" she said in her monotone after a moment. Meliah turned her way this time.

"You have? When? How? "

"A few years ago. Some wanna be magician trapped us in his hat and turned us into different animals"

"Really? Like what?"

"Let me see… Robin was a capuchin monkey, Cyborg was a cybernetic bear, Starfire was a cheetah and Gar was… well, he could turn into any electronic device" that made Meliah giggle.

"What were you? Let me guess… a tiger? A leopard? A…"

"A bunny" said Raven in an emotionless tone.

"… a bunny?… really?" said Meliah, barely containing her amusement.

"Go ahead, you can laugh. I was a fluffy, long eared white bunny"

Meliah's laugh resonated in the room while Raven contain her own giggles.

"Gar never mentioned that"

"And with good reason. I sworn them all to secrecy"

"Don't worry, I'll keep your secret"

Raven went back to her self appointed task and continued working on the next panel.

"He's aware of your every move, you know?, even If he's not aware of himself."

Raven stopped and thought for a minute. Remembering the many times Meliah had reacted to her presence. Regardless of the demon in her, the instincts were her basic nature.

"I can only imagine how annoying that can be" she said with a ghost of a frown.

"He doesn't mind. He's just… happier when you're around" Meliah said quietly, leaning back against the frame looking out at the bay.

"All this time I could only think of how annoying he was being by tracking my every move in the tower. It was until you showed up that I realized it had been my powers he sensed. He couldn't help it."

Meliah chuckled "It's not your fault. Its an animal thing we got… did you know he spoke of you the entire trip to Africa?"

"He did? What did he say?" Raven said with an arched eyebrow.

"Everything… Raven, he knows you better than you think. From your every mood to your fighting style, your taste of food, clothing… books…"

"Books? that's hard to believe. The only books he pays attention to are his comics"

"You'd be surprised. And when we arrived to his parents graves, I'm sure he told them a lot more"

"You were not with him?"

"I just showed him where they were then I gave them his space. It was only when you called him that I came back to him. I was across the river when I heard his communicator go off. When he didn't answer I went to check on him."

"Was he ok?"

"Yes, just distracted. He didn't seem to have noticed the incoming call, that's why I answered. When I told you I didn't know if he was going to call you anytime soon, it was because of that, but, the truth is, if you hadn't called when you did, we would have been ambushed by those droids. They would have caught us distracted and alone and we would've had less chances of survival, so thank you"

Raven nodded "Droids? You mean the slade-bots? So that's what Slade didn't want to tell me he did"

"Yes, but, Gar had a brilliant idea of electrocuting them. We came back soon after you, Star and Red X were kidnapped" Raven smiled at that. Then thought of something else she had wanted to say.

"By the way Meliah, thank you, for saving his life" said Raven quietly.

"Don't mention it" answered Meliah

"And how are the most beautiful girls in the world doing this morning?" said Garfield from the door with a big smile. He walked fast, almost run and pulled Raven in a short but tender kiss.

"Good morning babe, how are you feeling?" he said while brushing some of her hair back and tucking it behind her left ear. That made her blush for a moment. His touch was so intimate in the simplest actions.

"Much better now" she said with a smile. He smiled back then helped Meliah to her feet and gave her a brief hug and a kiss on the top of her head.

"How are you M?"

"Never better Gar, thanks"

"Good, ladies, get ready. We're leaving soon." Said Robin walking thru the door. Raven now noticed the doors off their hinges, leaning against the wall. Some of the debris was cleared but not by much and a stack of pizza boxes in the corner.

"What about the tower. It needs to be repaired and secured." said Raven

"We got that covered little lady. Mento sent us a cleaning crew and some contractors to take care of that. In fact, they should be here soon" said Cyborg checking on the digital clock built in his left arm.

"Cyborg will remain with them until tomorrow to make sure the security systems are back online, then he'll join us in Tibet to continue the investigation." said Robin. Starfire flew in and landed next to the boy wonder.

"Friends, has anyone seen friend Michael?"

Everyone looked around. He had blended in just fine, but just as easy, no one noticed his absence.

"Robin, did you upset him again?" asked Starfire.

"What?… Star… no, I didn't. I haven't seen him since yesterday morning"

"Then, where can he be?… Raven can you find him please" said Star with a worried tone. Raven closed her eyes and tried to use her powers to find him in the tower, but after a few seconds, she opened them again.

"I cant sense him"

"So, is he gone?" asked Starfire with a trembling lip.

"I'm not sure Star, his suit blocks my powers and he refuses to take off the mask among us. We would have to physically look for him"

"Then I'll start to search for him immediately" said Starfire and without waiting for an approval, she took off and flew thru the door.

"Star wait…" Robin called but his words fell on deaf ears. He lowered his arm and could only stare at the open door.

Raven could only think of the worried look Starfire had. Something had happened and her friend was gone, so she turned to Garfield who was still holding onto her hand "Gar?…"

"You don't have to ask my permission Rae, go ahead. Obviously it means a lot for Star and you that he's missing" he said while he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"He's just a friend Gar"

"I know babe, I trust you… go" he said with a smile and before letting go of her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed it in reassurance.

"I'm going too Gar, he's my friend as well" said Meliah and while Raven phased thru the floor, she turned into a bird and flew out of one of the still broken windows down to the beach.

Garfield took a deep breath as his smile faded. Cyborg came next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey man, it was bound to happen. They've been thru a lot together and became friends. You cant blame them for that"

"I know Cy, its just… why him. Why them?"

…

…

Starfire looked thru the corridors and guest rooms but nothing. Even if he had been in one of them, the thief had left no trace of his presence of ever being there. She should know, she had seen it in the Batcave before. But still, it was disturbing to think that after all they'd been thru, he would still just… disappear without even saying goodbye.

Meliah had circled the tower then landed on the sand and continued on foot. She got as far as the tunnel that connected the island with the rest of the city but, there was no trace of him. Of course if he teleported somewhere else, their search would be futile, still, she thought that after all this time, he would at least try and say goodbye. Hard to tell with him as he was spontaneous on his actions.

Raven took to the roof and when she saw no sight of him, she went inside everyone else's rooms he had done before when he left the notes for her and Starfire's room as a welcome. There was no trace of him in Star's room but when she appeared in hers, he was there, perched on the window sill with his mask on.

"Everyone its been looking for you Michael, why are you here?… in my room?" she said in a emotionless tone while she approached him. He chuckled at her remark.

"You mean every girl in the tower is looking for me, I'm flattered. Besides, I know the guys could not care less if I'm here or not."

"You still haven't answered my question. Why are you in my room?"

"Waiting for you"

"Why?"

"I came to say goodbye"

"You're leaving? I thought that…"

"That I would join your little hero team and… save the world from the bad guys?… sorry to disappoint you beautiful but I work alone and I don't do the hero job"

"That… is the lamest excuse you can ever give me. What is the real reason Michael?"

Michael took a deep breath and slowly let it out "I've told you… I don't want to be compared to your leader the _Boy Wonder_ all the time"

"But if you keep stealing, eventually you'll get caught and when everyone finds out what you look like, then what?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I already thought of that and I'm going away, I'll change my look, my fighting style… everything that resembles him"

"What about them Mike? What about Star, she's worried sick about you. And Meliah? I thought you had some kind of plans with her"

He sighed again "None that I can go forward with… not like this but, maybe in the future… just… don't tell her my plans, I'll say goodbye to them then I'll be gone"

After a moment he got up, took off his mask and came closer. So close that his nose was inches away from hers and looking her straight in the eyes. Then run a finger softly on her left cheek and whispered "You're truly beautiful Raven, he's lucky to have you love him" then softly cupped her face and attempted to place a kiss on her lips but she squeezed his hand and whispered "Please don t do it". He smiled a little then softly rubbed his nose to hers and kissed her forehead instead.

"Only because you asked me not to" he gave her a hug and said "Goodbye Raven, take care"

Reluctantly, she hugged him back and said "You too Michael". when he let her go, he placed his mask back on and teleported out of her room without another word.

…

…

When Raven went back to the common room, the cleaning crew and contractors were already there. Garfield came running and wrapped his arms around her.

"Is he gone?"

"I think so. He was going to say goodbye to Star and Meliah then take off… how do you know he was leaving?"

Garfield looked down and pursed his lips before answering "I heard you two talking in your room…" Raven arched an eyebrow to which he lifted his hands in defense "I swear I wasn't spying, I came looking for Star and I heard voices. I couldn't help but to hear the rest… I agree with him on one thing though … you're truly beautiful"

"You're not mad he tried to kiss me?"

"I was but you said no and he didn't insist, I'm ok with that. He just… he better not let me get my hands on him" he said with a mischievous smile.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42. Tibet **

It was cold up high and clouds as thick as cotton as the ominous Mt. Everest was seen from far away. With its peaks so white with snow and so high in the sky and its waist hidden in the clouds in shapeless, harrowing behemoths of imaginary rocks.

As they descended, not only the temperature started to be more bearable but it also gave way to the beautiful sights below. From among the clouds, sunrays tried to make their way thru, giving the valleys dancing streaks of light and darkness as if one was looking under water.

It was breathtaking. Our young heroes observed with awe from the windows of their cockpits and tried to take in all the beauty that Mother Nature had to offer. The rich colors, the vastness of the valleys and mountains and the sea of greenery meshed with traces of blue, gave them a sense of looking into a freshly finished painting.

The snaking river below served as a guide, It also showed them the dying vegetation as if tendrils of snow clawed their way into the green in a territorial battle of nature. It was brighter, not because of the sun but because of the snow that now covered their surroundings and as they approach the river's end, they could see the famous Rongbuk Glacier zone, which is the largest among all the hundreds of glaciers formed around Mt. Everest. The river traversing the foot of the monastery is called "Rongbuk River". They could only assume that the water was extremely cold. And there, at forty eight hundred meters above sea level stood Rongbuk Monastery, located in the least inhabited spot of the mountain across Mt. Everest.

The young heroes landed on a large patch of even ground just a few meters below the monastery's front entrance. As they emerged from the T-ship, a cold piercing breeze greeted them. Beast Boy turned into a polar bear while Meliah turned into a yak to protect themselves from the cold. Robin had a scarf around his neck and a thicker version of his costume made specially for this kind of inclement weather.

Raven's cloak was also thicker with reinforced material on the inside and leggings to protect her from the cold. Starfire however only wore a scarf around her neck and her usual attire, leaving bare thighs, stomach and arms exposed. Being an alien from outer space allowed her body temperature to adapt to extreme weather conditions. Coming in handy in this kind of missions.

The ground was covered in almost three feet of snow and the leader and the two changelings sunk in while the alien and sorceress floated above the white ground. They made their way towards the antique building, looking around them every which way in search for anyone inhabiting the ancient place.

On the way there, Raven talked about the relevant facts of their destination. The monastery was built by a local lama in the late eighteen hundreds. Built in an area of meditation huts that had been in use by monks and hermits for over four hundred years. Hermitage meditation caves dotted the cliff walls all around the monastery complex and up and down the valley.

As they approached, they discovered that many of the walls and stones were carved with sacred syllables and prayers that lined their path. Raven had also mentioned that the lama who founded the monastery was very much respected by the Tibetans and that in olden times, the monastery was an active place of teachings.

Now the place seemed to be in great need of repairs. The five-tier building had seen much better times. The top three stories being the ones in the worse condition.

"Raven, are you sure that people still live here? There is no sight of civilization in miles" said Beast Boy once he turned back to his human form. He wrapped his arms around himself trying to retain some of the warmth of his animal form.

Raven closed her eyes and used her powers to sense anyone inside. After a few seconds, she said "They are here"

"How many?" asked Robin, still looking around.

"Not many, but scattered around" she said and when she opened her eyes, saw Garfield trying to hide a shiver. She came closer, unwrapped his arms and guided them around her waist where it was warmer and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in a hug. He held her close and buried his face on her hair and neck, warming up his nose and making it easier to inhale her scent in the crisp air.

"Thanks Rae, I needed that" he whispered.

"Why didn't you bring a coat? your uniform is not equipped for this weather" she whispered back while he lifted his head and rested his forehead on hers.

"I don't mind the cold, it doesn't affect me as much" he said while he lightly rubbed his nose on hers.

"Liar. I saw you shivering"

"I didn't do it because I was cold…" he said with a sheepish smile. " But because I needed to hold you this close again"

She smiled despite herself and said "Its only been a few hours"

"Over ten hours flying, not being able to hold you like this, its not "a few hours", its torture"

"Why didn't you do it when we landed"

"Because… I don't want you to think I'm needy. Although my actions would say exactly that, I'm not… its just…" he said while he hugged her once more a bit tighter than before "It just feels so right being with you like this"

She smiled and said "You're right, it does"

In the meantime, the others had wandered off, not only to find a way to get in but also to give the couple some privacy. Meliah was in her human form again and smiled to herself when he saw them embracing each other. She sighed and her smile faded gradually. Longing to have just that some day.

As Meliah walked along the wall, she thought about the thief. He had found her on the beach, sitting on a rock looking at the soft waves. When she asked why was he leaving he answered nonchalantly "Places to go, things to steal" .

"You seem to be attracted to things and people that don't belong to you… are you… or I should say, would you be as equally attracted when there is no one to claim them as their own?"

He had hesitated to answer and Meliah couldn't take it any more. She let out an exasperated grunt and made a move that took him by surprise. Suddenly, he was laying on his back on the sand with Meliah on top of him with her hands on his chest pushing him down.

"Why are you after them… after her. She's with Gar now, why cant you understand…" she stopped and felt his chest rise then fall at his heavy breathing. She slipped her hands to his shoulders, leaning her body further down on him and slipped a hand under the edge of his mask. His body tensed up and instinctively placed a hand on hers to stop her "Mel… don't" he whispered.

"Just once" she whispered and pushed the mask higher up to his nose and kissed him. At first she was shy and him, being still in shock didn't react immediately but after her body settled lower, there was no restrain. At some point, she tugged a bit further on his mask while he run his hand down her back and slid his hand in between his body and hers right between her legs. The warmth there distracted him for a moment, but as she tugged the mask completely off, he pushed the button on his belt and teleported them both to a dark place.

Once there, he pushed her softly to the side while he rolled on top of her never letting go of her lips. Meliah run her hands on his hair and wrapped her legs around his waist to keep him close "Stay with me" she whispered.

"I cant"

"Then let me come with you" she said. He kissed her once more before running his hand up her leg and pulled it down. He sighed and sat down next to her. She noticed a faint light coming thru the window and when she sat down, also realized they were no longer on the beach but a bed.

"Where are we?" she asked. Looking at his dark silhouette.

"Not sure. Somewhere in tower" he sounded distracted. Without the mask and his technology, his voice was softer but familiar.

"Why wont you let me see you?" she said while she handed him the mask. He put it back on and in the synthetic voice he said "I'm sorry Mel, but… I cant stay. I cant take you with me"

"Why not?" she sounded irritated.

"Because I don't want you to see me again, to remember what I look like"

"But I don't know what you look like Michael. Everyone else does… she does. Why cant I?" she was offended. She even felt betrayed.

"You have seen me Mel. You were there with the others in Slade's cave"

"All I remember is seeing Robin without his mask right before I ran off after Slade… Michael, why…"

"Meliah, please don't ask, just… trust me, ok? I want to be with you but I cant… not like this… not now… please try to understand" he pulled her in a hug and whispered "Goodbye Mel…" and he disappeared.

…

…

Meliah sighed once more. The crisp air chilling her lungs brought her back to the present moment. She looked around and realized she had wandered off far from the couple around the dilapidated walls.

She looked at her surroundings, giving more attention to the task at hand. Some of the symbols were familiar but out of the corner of her eye, saw something move. Up on the tallest tower of the fifth story of the building. Someone was there and had been watching her. She turned into a falcon and flew in its direction. A wooden window moved by the wind was all she saw. She didn't go into the tower but thru the caved in roof saw debris and snow, but no sign of anyone being there. She flew back down catching up with Garfield and Raven.

"What was that M? did you see something?" asked Garfield, still holding Raven's hand.

"I thought I did, but there is nothing"

"Hey, where are Robin and Star?" asked Garfield after looking around for their friends.

"I don't know Gar, but I found some of the symbols from before. They are on the back side all over the wall."

"Were they randomly scattered or in a pattern?" asked Raven with a frown. Meliah thought for a minute.

"Both. At the bottom of the wall they were in a strange pattern but from there up, they were scattered. Why? What does it mean?"

Raven drew a symbol on the snow with her finger and asked Meliah if that was one of the most predominant. When Meliah confirmed that it was so, Raven said "Then it means I'm not allowed in there"

"What? Why? How do you know that?" asked Garfield.

"Because those are magic symbols to keep Trigon's influence away. The same were drawn on the walls of the monastery in Azarath where I grew up. To keep them and myself safe from him, but as I grew older and my powers developed, the magic repelled me from its grounds. It didn't matter how much I had trained to control them, I was simply not allowed in there anymore" she said calmly.

"But how do they know about that here?"

"I told you this is an Azarathean temple…" Raven answered but then a heavy wooden door opened on rusted hinges behind them. And there they stood. Robin and Starfire along with one of the monks. He was dressed in ancient robes that reminded Raven of the kind monks that had raised her.

They walked silently to the door to meet an smiling Starfire.

"Friends, we have succeeded in finding the habitants of this monastery. isn't that glorious?"

"How'd you get in?" asked Garfield.

"Star flew us in. they already knew we were outside" said Robin.

"Indeed we did" said the monk coming from behind the alien. "Young miss Raven, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. You too brother Garfield. We are glad you are finally here"

This caught them by surprise. Raven gasped softly while Garfield's mouth dropped.

"Dude, how do you know my name and why you called me brother, I'm not a monk"

The monk walked closer out of the safety of the temple and smiled. Garfield instinctively stepped in between the monk and Raven who was still in shock.

"Please young friends, I only wish to introduce myself. My name is Father Dawa and I come on behalf of my brothers of this monastery to welcome you and invite you in" his smile was genuine and gentle. But Meliah was still suspicious.

"How did you know we were coming?"

"Ah, young Wangdue, we have known of your arrival for many years" said the monk

"What did you call me?" asked Meliah with a frown.

"If you are who you say you are then you'll know I cannot go thru those doors… I was vanished"

"Raven, what are you talking about? You know this guy?" asked Robin coming closer.

"Not personally" she said to Robin then turned to the monk "Well?"

"You fulfilled the prophesy young Rinchen, as are the others as we speak." said father Dawa and turned around towards the door.

By then, other monks had gathered at the entrance.

One by one, the Titans went thru the threshold until only Raven was left just outside. Garfield stopped and turned back. Raven was hesitant, she even looked scared for a moment. She lifted a hand as if expecting to find an invisible barrier, she could sense the magic surrounding the threshold and even anticipated the pain she had felt when she had been vanished the first time, but then, Garfield grabbed her hand. She looked up into his face. "Its ok Rae, nothing its going to happen" He said with a reassuring smile that melted her fears away and with a last deep breath, walked thru the door and followed him in.

Once in, she let out a breath she didn't know was holding in. she and Garfield had fallen behind, and while the others were distracted ahead, he lifted her hand and kissed it softly.

"I told you nothing would happen"

"Of course nothing was going to happen, so long as young Lobsang is with you" said father Dawa then walked pass them.

"Dude, what's with the weird names?"

"They are ancient names and they are never given lightly" said Raven as they resume their walk.

"What do they mean?" asked Garfield.

"Lobsang means Noble minded, Wangdue means Subduer and Rinchen means… Gem" Raven answered quietly.

"Gem? that's what Salde called you isn't it? When he came for you before you were the portal?" asked Robin who was suddenly at their side.

"Yes. I've been called that for as long as I can remember"

"The names have great significance. They describe you to perfection" said Starfire, hovering close by.

They reached another set of heavy wooden doors and when they opened, they were greeted with quiet murmurs that soon fell silent the moment Raven entered. The room seemed bigger inside that it did from outside. There were candles scattered around and torches around the walls. All the monks were wearing the same kind of tunics and shaved heads that bowed slightly in acknowledgement of the new visitors.

The young heroes descended the staircase built out of rock and the room seemed to extend further back. The few windows were closed with wooden planks and there were a few small tables and chairs in the far corners.

As they walked thru the crowd, the monks moved to make a path for them to follow then, father Dawa stopped in the middle and spoke out loud, lifting his arms to get their attention.

"Brothers, for a long time, we have waited. Read and learned about the prophecies that ruled our existence, holding in the secrets and protecting them with our lives and this very day, we have proof that those sacrifices were, not only worth it but our beliefs have a true meaning again. For the ones we have awaited for, have finally arrived" he turned and motioned for the young heroes to approach the circle.

The other monks yelled and celebrated their arrival. That was until another monk arrived from the back door. Raven gasped in surprise and even tears formed in her eyes. The older monk walked cautiously as his health was in precarious condition due to his advanced age, but he still smiled at the sight of the sorceress who run and stopped in front of him and bowed respectfully. Her friends could only observe in silence.

The older man gave her a smile so big that wrinkled further his already wrinkled features and motioned for her to straighten up. Carefully, she embraced the older man with tears running down her cheeks.

"Father Chodak, I thought I'd never see you again"

"My young Rinchen, sweet little Raven, I knew this day would come… and you Lobsang, come, come for we have much to celebrate" the older man said in a laborious voice. Breathless for the exertion. His movements slow as he motioned for Garfield to come closer.

But as Garfield came into the monk's embrace, the older man's legs buckled and threaten to fall on the ground. But the changeling was fast and quickly held him and carried him to a nearby chair. The other monks and Titans had gathered around. The old man told everyone to stop fussing over him and Raven asked father Dawa what was wrong with her old mentor.

"He's sick I'm afraid. Very sick. But we were foretold that he would not leave us until the Rinchen arrived and , well… that day has come" said the monk sadly.

"No…" whispered Raven to herself and kneeled in front of the old monk and said "Father Chodak, I can heal you, I have mastered my healing powers, allow me to help you, plea…." she said but the monk stopped her plea.

"Dear Rinchen, there is nothing for you to heal… You cannot heal old age… That would be unnatural. Besides, the prophecies… are… everything…"

"What prophecies father, I only knew about one… about the one of me being the portal to bring destruction to this world" she said sadly.

The old man cupped her cheek and gave her a tired smile. "Raven, that was not the prophecy…" the old man was having problems breathing, but refused the pleas of the other monks to rest but he refused and continued.

"The prophecy said …that you would defeat… the one bringing destruction… to this world"

"But why was I vanished from the temple, from Azarath itself? She asked, eyes stinging from the unshed tears she was fighting back.

"You were not vanished… my dear… but it was time… for you to… fulfill your destiny. To grow… and find… your own path… to find… the one… that would give you… the strength to… defeat your father…"

Raven thought for a moment, confused but also worried that the man would collapse anytime now. But when he saw her confusion, the old man asked "Tell me Raven… in the last minute… before your ordeal… didn't someone come … to you and … give you …one last speck… of hope?"

Raven gasped when she realized what her old mentor asked and with wide eyes, looked up at Garfield who was kneeling next to the old man to keep him sitting straight. Garfield was also confused but then she whispered "The penny"

Garfield was wide eyed and asked "Dude, are you saying that that was already written… you knew what was going to happen?"

Father Chodak nodded once and made the attempt to get up but was too weak. Garfield tried to help but he was pushed away by the old man. he managed to get up on his own but then almost lost balance when he was caught in a dark tendril of magic. The other monks backed away, never had they seen such power up close.

"Respect brothers, for she is the Rinchen. Her magic may be dark but her heart is pure" said father Dawa and all murmurs fell silent.

Father Chodak sighed in defeat and said "Just because I am …a bit too old … it doesn't … mean I… cant …"

"Father Chodak, with all due respect, if you don't let me heal you, at least let me make you comfortable and help you around. There is no shame in asking or receiving help"

The dark tendrill enveloped the old man and accommodated him the best way possible. Once he approved, he asked to be taken to the main chamber below. The others followed in silence as they tried to comprehend what was going on.

They descended two stories below the ground in a spiral staircase leading to an illuminated path with scattered torches and candles. Once there, they were greeted with a variety of symbols and ancient writings, but what caught their attention was the paintings. One in particular held their undivided attention. A messy, shapeless resemblance of the Yin Yang symbol.

But instead of black and white, it was dark purple and dark green. The purple half had in its middle the silhouette of a hood and four, bright, red eyes and the green half, graced with the silhouette of large, serrated teeth and bright white eyes and both half connected by claws that blended into each other. Both with murderous intentions and yet, both complementing each other.

"This was painted the year before you were conceived mighty Rinchen" said father Dawa.

"Who painted this?" asked Raven

"I did…" said father Chodak, breathing with difficulty. "I had a… dream… a beast tamed by …a demon and a demon… being tamed by a beast… a green beast…" he said with a faint smile before closing his eyes.

"Dude…how is this possible?… I wasn't even born then… how did you know I would…" Garfield stopped, still not able to take his eyes off the painting.

"We didn't. we had to search for you… and for years we were unsuccessful. That was until a dear friend of mine wrote to give me the news of his son's accident and how… thanks to technology and science, was able to save him but… when he mentioned the side effects the chemicals did… I took that as a sign." said father Dawa. Garfield turned sharply and in two strides was holding the monk by the neck, pushing him against the nearby wall.

"It was you?" Garfield said with such anger. With such disgust that he trembled while containing his anger and trying not to let the Beast out.

"Gar, no! Stop!" yelled Raven.

"Gar, it wasn't him…" said Meliah coming behind him trying to grab his arm.

"I swear young Lobsang, it wasn't me…" pleaded the monk in fear. He had always feared that painting and now having the real thing in front of him, scared him beyond sanity. The other monks had backed away, not knowing what to do if the monster of the painting was to come to life.

Raven came and placed a hand on the arm that tried to choke the monk. Slowly, his anger faltered and once his breathing calmed, she pushed her way in between the monk and him and pushed him back a few steps.

"Gar, listen to me… calm your mind… calm your heart… I promise you it was none of the monks present." said Raven, cupping his face gently. He opened his eyes and she saw the green orbs reappear. He closed them again and furrowed his brow.

"I'm sorry Rae… I'm sorry father Dawa… I just need to know who did it… who was after me… who cast the spell on Meliah and why"

"the prophecies have always been very present in our beliefs and religion. Always taken for a future that is already written but the dark ones always know about them as well and this prophecy in particular was the most important. Because if the mighty Rinchen had not met you, she would have given in and the world would have ended as predicted"

"But I thought father Chodak said that was not the real prophecy" said Raven.

"it was half of it. If the dark one's forces would have succeeded, then you would have been killed at a very young age, Lobsang. And not only the world would have ended but Your beloved Rinchen would have followed in his footsteps and conquered many worlds"

"So the plan was to take me out before I even had a chance to meet her? But what about Meliah, what about the spell and the demon that lived inside her for most of her life" asked Garfield.

"Once we found you, we scouted nearby your village to protect you, but there is greed inside of all of us and one succumbed. He was promised riches in exchange for you life but when he lost you to that storm, he was severely punished."

"Well, not severely enough apparently… he still came back a few years later for me" said Meliah, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He was vanished, not only from this holy grounds but from the sect he had decided to follow. His mind was no longer his own and his spirit died along with his chances of redemption. And he followed you Wangdue, in the vain attempt to regain what he lost. Thinking that perhaps the mighty Lobsang could be anyone, he found a replacement. But after the spell was cast, it was too late. He realized the wrong he had done but could not do nothing more than run away from his own demons until he was no longer alive."

There was silence. An eerie silence that was interrupted by the gasp of one of the monks next to father Chodak. The old man had finally exhaled his last breath.


End file.
